


Pinpricked

by Sitical



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Curiosity, Drama, Hurt, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Past Sexual Abuse, Voyeurism, Weird Plot Shit, past relationship resurfacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-03-14 10:28:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 39,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13588152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sitical/pseuds/Sitical
Summary: All Damen needed was a roommate to keep him in an on-campus dorm. But instead, he got a prickly but pretty blonde to bicker with all day, every day for the next year.Damnit.





	1. The Roommate

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, hi, hello to everyone that decided to check it out. I have a lot of feels for Captive Prince, and lately, I'd been drawing to get those feels out, but now I feel I needed to write something out about them. Because I simply love them that much.  
> I don't particularly know how long this fic will be, or where it's going. I'm just writing it out as a past time to relax me when I'm not in school <3.  
> So enjoy, comment, leave me some feedback. I'd love to hear all about it! And if you have any ideas about where ya'll want this story to go, let me know, I may just incorporate it in!

A typical Saturday morning. Cereal. Tv playing some morning show, though he had his headphones on, blaring some random Youtube video while he ate. It was still early enough that he hadn’t entirely woken up. At least not enough to brush his wild rat's nest that he called hair.

He was mid-bite, spoon still in his mouth when the door slammed open, causing him to spill a bit of milk from his bowl, some of it which was already in his mouth dribbling down his chin. He was staring wide-eyed at the wide open door, seeing a massive pile of luggage sitting at the door.  
“It’d be nice if you could maybe stop ogling my suitcases, as sexy as they are, and help me.”

Eyes lowered to the floor where a...holy shit blonde.

Blonde alert. Blonde. Blue eyes. Good god almighty that face. Sharp as a nail, elegant, perfectly proportioned. A fallen angel. Had to be.

He swallowed his cereal, nearly tossing the bowl off onto the nearby table before going over to remove the pile of suitcases from the downed hotty.

“How in the hell did this happen...I could’ve sworn I locked this door…” It wasn’t entirely a question, more just wondering to himself.

“Oh wait...you must be--”

“Your roommate.” The pale man stood when he was able, dusting off his primpy, probably extremely expensive clothing. Sticking out a hand when he was sure every last spec of dirt was not on him.

“Laurent. Roommates for the next year. Yaaay.” He did not sound enthused in the least bit. They quickly shook hands, to which Laurent pulled away almost as soon as they made contact.

The blonde dusted his hand on his jeans before crossing his arms and looking up at the taller man.

“And you are?” He asks, looking expectantly.

“Oh shit...uh.”

“Oshituh? That's an interesting name. You must be a 5th child. Parents ran out of names?”

A hard blush of embarrassment and a bit of frustration.

“It’s Damianos. But everyone calls me Damen.”

“Hmm...I think I prefer Oshituh. Fits your doofy personality. Anyways, you going to help me or what?”

Not with that attitude, no.

“I mean, I guess, since you asked so politely.” Sarcasm.

He began grabbing the luggage, all of them in some shade of blue. Fitting for someone as ice cold as this guy was turning out to be.

“Just leave them by the closet.” Laurent went off into the rather spacious dorm room. It was one of those premium rooms. The kids with a bit more of money were usually the ones staying in these.

Damen was definitely not one of those kids. He’d been offered to live there with a friend. And he had, the year before, but his friend had graduated that Spring, so Damen was left with a choice. Go live in those less than desirable looking apartments a few blocks down, or stay on campus and find a roommate that can afford most of the rent. Naturally, he attempted the latter and had been so close to being forced to move out. Then someone, Laurent, had snatched the offer just before the deal got closed. He was thankful for that much.

But now he was starting to wonder if this was going to be any better. This guy was already turning out to be a prick. Not only was he a bit of an ass, but he pretty much just made him move all of his luggage inside, while he himself did not even lift a single, beautiful finger.

God damn him for having those perfect looks. Ugh.

Once all of the suitcases were in and neatly lined by the closet Laurent would be using, Damen went and flopped on his bed. He no longer felt like finishing his cereal. This prickled pear of a blonde had put a bad taste in his mouth.

Laurent had taken to raiding their little kitchenette area for food, mumbling about how hungry he was. So Damen decided it would be a good time to go back to sleep. The other could figure out where everything was on his own.

“Oh my god, is this what you live on? Doritos and...and ramen? Oh boy, there is going to be some changes. Because I am so not having it.”

“...Honestly, I don’t even care...So long as I’m not paying for it.”

Cabinets close, fridge opens. Fridge door slammed, some drawer rustling.

“....how...in the actual hell--”

“Okay! I’m up!” Damen threw himself up off the bed, arms above his head, exasperated.

“Do you want to go to the store or something, princess. So you can stop bitching about the lack-thereof of our kitchen.”

“Yes, please. But please, for the love of….everything. Brush that hair. You look mangled roadkill.”

More verbal exasperation.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

A change of clothes and a brush later, the two were off. Damen had completely bypassed the parking lot, to which Laurent noticed and stopped walking. The darker skinned male paused upon realizing the lack of a second person. He turns and looks at the other, standing 10 feet down.

“What?”

“Do you not have a car?”

“No….and the store is just right there.”

“That’s a 7-11.”

“Yeah, a store.

“No. No no no. Come on.”

Damen was very confused and by now, frustrated. Such a picky priss. Now he wondered why he even offered to go with him.

They walked to a front row parking and Laurent had stepped off the curb next to a brand new Mercedes. A click of the keys, the doors unlocked, and the car started.

Damen stood dumbfounded in front of the car, just staring at the midnight blue vehicle. What the fuck.

“Well, are you getting in?”

A gulp, he walks over, pulls the handle and gets in. He found himself rather squished in the seat. And instead of just explaining where the adjustables were, Laurent reach over, the palm of his hand just barely tickling over Damen’s jeans, reaching between his thighs.

Damen was struck, sitting deeper into his seat as he watched that delicate pale hand reach between his legs.

The seat fell back all the way after Laurent reached the handle.

“There, comfy? Good. Now, it’s time I introduce you to what a real store is. I will vomit if I catch you eating anymore convenience store bullshit that you called food.”

Damen stuck with just staying quiet, only nodding. Laurent was too spicy, even for him.

A heat he knew would burn, but damn…

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

The listened to Laurent’s personal music on the fifteen-minute drive to the nearest store. Damen had noted, Laurent listened to music that a 16-year-old girl in the early 2000’s would have listened to like it was her lifeline.

When they arrived, Damen waited for Laurent, who had pulled down the visor to quickly gaze at himself in the mirror, fixing a bit of his long silky looking hair, applying some chapstick to those luscious pink lips. The only thing that snapped Damen out of his daydreaming stupor were piercing blue eyes staring back, and the snapping of the visor being put back into its place.

“Earth to numbnuts. Are you there? Let’s go. The quicker we do this, the better. My hangry side is ready to break the barrier.”

And there it was. That snappy sass once more. If only he’d keep that mouth of his shut.

“You mean it hasn’t already?”

That earned him a punch. Harder than he expected too.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

They spent far longer in the store than Damen could have expected, and Laurent was asking him a million questions at every turn.

“Toaster?”

“No.” Box in the cart.

“Cookware?”

“No.” Utensil tossing and some pans.

“Do the burners work?”

“Yes.”

“What do you like to eat.”

“Anything with meat.”

“Okay, I guess we're gonna need some essentials too, since you don’t cook. Salt, pepper, oregano--”

“The hell do you mean oregano. What do we need oregano for.”

“Cooking duh.”

“....Oregano.”

“Shut up, I buy what I want. You’re not allowed to bitch.”

More sighs.

Two hours and a basket full later, they were finally leaving. Damen swore it was like they were moving in together forever. He felt like they just got married and were moving into their very own apartment. The only problem, it wasn’t an apartment, Laurent was an absolute prune, and he totally would not marry a prune.

They got back, and Laurent insisted the only make one trip from the car to get everything inside. So naturally, Laurent loaded his ‘big, strong meats sticks’, as Laurent put it, up with bags and bags, and boxes. Only two bags and a gallon of milk were left in the trunk.

“Okay, I’ll go park. Don’t fall and die.” He says before getting back in the car, speeding off to find parking. Damen was close to feeling like he’d burst a blood vessel with how irritated he was. But he calmed and headed for the apartment, slowly, as to not upset the careful placement of everything piled on his arms.

He’d somehow managed to get back into the room, after losing the toaster in the hall. His best bet, he ended up going and dumping most of everything onto his bed, just to make it easier.

Laurent returned shortly after while Damen was putting things away. He was practically skipping into the room without a care in the world, his bags merely containing bread, eggs and the gallon of milk.

“You dropped the toaster.” He said, placing the box on a counter.

“Probably wouldn’t have if you hadn’t loaded me to the brim with everything.”

“Well, you survived. Good job. Get yourself a snack.”

“....what am I, a dog?”

Laurent didn’t respond, just began digging through the bags and started putting everything away.

“Prick…” Damen mumbled to himself as he grudgingly helped.

When everything was put away, new pans and cookware cleaned, Damen took to falling back onto his bed, intent on a nap. Luckily, Laurent had shut his trap long enough for him to do so.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

A while later, he woke, eyes blurry and unfocused. But after a while of staring straight up, he realized he was staring at a pair of sapphire blue eyes. Blonde hair. Was this heaven?

“You snore.”

And heaven was gone. Just like that.

“Thank you for stating the facts,” Damen replied, his face twisted a bit. He wasn’t complaining about the view though.

“You have really long eyelashes…”

This statement made Laurent pull back, allowing Damen to sit up. The former was now standing there, arms crossed, hip jutted to the side.

“What’s that look for.”

“You slept all day. I was hoping to have gotten a tour of the campus, but now it’s dark.”  
It was what…

He whipped his head to look to the window, seeing that indeed, the sun was now setting.  
“Holy crap, I slept that long…”

“All damn day? Yes.” He sighs. “Well, I’ll start dinner. You can show me tomorrow.”

“Why not after dinner?”

“But it’s dark?”

“There are lights around everywhere.”

“But…”

“You scared of the dark?”

“No…”

“Then? Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from Leo the mascot.”

“I’m sure you will. You look like a lion yourself with all that scruff growing in. You should shave that.”

This was beginning to sound like most the day they had together again. Like an old married couple. Unending bickering.

“Dinner?”

“...ugh, must I do everything around this house.” Laurent pretend stomped all the way to the kitchenette, preparing to cook.

Damen laid back onto his bed, just staring up at the ceiling. What a day it had been...and he was going to have to spend the next year with him.

Damnit.


	2. Don't let your life pass you by...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When life gives you a pure cinnamon roll like Damen, you may give things a second thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, here we are again. With Chapter 2! I'd meant to finish and post it yesterday, but life with nasty grips of anxiety had its hold on me. But I'm back, refreshed, and ready to keep writing.  
> I realize I hadn't said before, but chapters won't really have any sort of timing or length for me. If I feel I've written enough to make one chapter, I'll post it. And if I continue writing after that and finish, chances are, I will post it right then and there. Chapters posted every day of the week? A good possibility. Two chapters posted in one day? Also likely.  
> And with that being said, please enjoy. Comment, give me some kudos to give me life. I like feeling the love <3<3<3

Dinner was uneventful for the most part. Unless the little incident about forgetting to buy forks. And the oregano...that god damn oregano. All over the floor. But otherwise, all was well. Damen had to give the pretty prune boy props. He made some mean spaghetti. He made his own sauce and everything. He was definitely having those leftovers tomorrow.

They were both just relaxing now, Damen sitting on his bed, watching a game on Youtube. Laurent was unpacking his dozens of bags and putting everything away.

Damen just about died when he saw that one bag was FULL, and I mean FULL, of hair products.

“What the hell do you need all that shit for.”

“My hair? What do you think”

“God damn, you have enough hair products there to groom an entire horse, and then some….Why do you have so much.”

“Sorry mister frizz, but I’m not down for flyaways or curliness.”

Laurent took off to the bathroom to put his essentials where he pleased. Damen shook his head, putting his headphones back on and looked back to his laptop to continue his video. He stopped again when Laurent came back and opened another bag.

He wasn’t trying to be weird or anything, but he was curious as to what that tiny piece of cloth was that he was holding. It took him a second before he realized it was a fucking thong. A work out thong. He blushed immediately and looked away, trying to concentrate on his game. However, he couldn’t help but keep glancing back over.

He saw that the bag he was unpacking was Adidas brand. A gym bag. So he worked out huh? Well, he did have quite a figure. Lean arms, taut looking stomach that fit perfectly into that tucked in shirt, skinny jeans that hugged those firm--

Woa. Woa. Hold it right there. Okay, pull yourself together now Damen. Remember who you’re talking about here. Your extra salted roommate, with a side of tart pickles. Yuck.

He managed to calm down enough to continue watching the video to its end. He felt not as full anymore and felt like a walk. So he tossed his headphones off and looked at Laurent. The blonde had just about finished unpacking. Most of the luggage was now packed into each other like nesting dolls and pushed under his bed, leaving just two duffle bags on his bed. Both were gym bags of different colors. Very expensive brands, like Under Armour and Nike.

“Hey uh...You want that tour? I could use a walk. Or a jog or something...if you’re down.”

Laurent looked up from his phone that he was now on, still standing by his bed. He looked a bit caught off guard. For a split second, he looked innocent, like a little boy, then it was replaced by the Extra Salt™ almost scowl.

“Oh, sure. Let me change.” He pulled over one of the bags still on his bed, searching through it, picking out a couple pieces of clothing, tossing them down onto the still folded bed sheets. His clothes picked out, he pulled the other bag over, picked out some matching shoes and tossing them onto the floor next to him.

Turning to Damen suddenly, looking at him with wide eyes.

“How does this whole changing thing work for you. Would you prefer it in the bathroom, or…”  
“Uh...whatever you want I guess. I don’t particularly care either way.”

Laurent gave him a skeptical look before grabbing his clothes and going into their personal bathroom. He didn’t close the door all the way, seeming to not care enough to. A minute later, he re-entered the room dressed in a pair of dark blue Nike spandex pants and a black sleeveless hoodie that was long enough to cover his hips and crotch.

Damen swore he was just never going to get a break. Why did this guy have to be so fucking… ugh.

Damen ended up just changing right there in front of Laurent, tossing on some of his team basketball shorts and a plain white t-shirt.

Both slipped on their shoes, Laurent clipped on...was that a fucking fanny pack.

“No.”

“Uh, yes. I need to put my phone and chapstick somewhere.”

Eyeroll.

They were off, out the door, and once down the stairs, Damen got them started on a slow warm-up jog.

He was rather surprised, to say the least, that Laurent had been able to keep up all the way to the other end of the parking lot. They stopped there, Laurent insisting he needed to stretch because of something about his sciatic nerve or whatnot. So while Laurent was doing his stretches, Damen gazed off into the distance of the campus.

The dorms they stayed in was in the back of campus where most of the playing fields were. The stadium was practically right next door to them. Akielos University was pretty damn big when it came to the all of the sports programs they offered, which was why Damen was even attending there. He was not only training to become a professional football player but also to get his degree in physical therapy. If his football career didn’t take off, at least he could still work with players. That was the goal.

Then he realized, he’d never asked his own roommate about his major, or even just what he wanted to do. He glances back over to Laurent, who was currently in a hip flexor lunge position. And just for a split second, Damen let himself enjoy the view. Laurent seriously took care of himself, and it showed easily with the way he was able to move and keep up.

When the smaller was done with his stretches in the grass, he returned to Damen’s side.

“Alright, I’m ready now. You should’ve stretched too.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“...mmm alriiight.”

“I’ll be _fine_.”

“If you say so.”

Damen suddenly took off in a sprint, hoping to take Laurent by surprise and leave him in the dust. But he saw Laurent right there next to him, movements so fluid, he looked graceful.

It quickly became an unspoken race, heading straight for the buildings in front of them. Laurent had shorter legs, therefore, had to take more steps to keep up. But he was also lighter and a bit more aerodynamic in build than Damen’s bulky sports build. Laurent won by a full leg length, both practically slamming into the wall as they came to a stop.

Panting heavily, they both glanced at each other, a grin on Laurent’s lips.

“You’ve won...this time.”

“Oh, so there’ll be a next time? I didn’t completely wreck your pride? Perhaps if we had an audience?”

“Psh, you wish you could wreck me.”

“I could if I wanted to.”

“Try me.”

“Nah. I don’t want to force my roommate to move states away. That wouldn’t look good on me.” Anything would look good on him.

“Aw, you like me that much already?”

Eyeroll. “Shut up.”

“Love you too, Boo.”

“I said shut up.”

After a few minutes of catching their breath, Damen decided to start the tour.

“So the building here that we so gracefully splattered all of our sweat on is the Social Studies building. To its left is the FEM center. And to the right, the Agriculture wing.”

“Where’s CCI?”

“Right over there.” A single pointed finger.

“And Business?” Another point.

“Point out the bathrooms. I need to know where they all are.”

“Tricky stomach?”

“No, I need mirrors.”

Long eye roll. “You and that hair of yours. Do you have a travel-sized dry shampoo on your person at all times.”

Looking around suspiciously. “...Maybe…”

Damen snorted, shaking his head.

“God, you’re too much.”

“Am I?”

They looked at each other again, then they burst into a bit of a chuckle.

Laurent seemed to have relaxed a bit now, not acting so bitter and mean now that they were out and about. He had no time to think about anything but catching up his breathing and making note of where all the classroom wings and bathrooms were. They walked the enormous campus for a good while, Laurent asking the occasional question here and there. But otherwise, they remained in a rather comfortable silence.

Damen realized that maybe the other wasn’t all that bad.

“So um...What made you decide to come here of all places? You look more like a Vere Uni student to me.”

Laurent looked over from the buildings to Damen, his cool eyes gazing into his own for a second.

“I was attending VU. I didn’t have a whole lot of choice. My parents were getting on my ass about some things while I was attending VU. Then they decided I should transfer here. I couldn’t stay at VU. It was either come here or drop out and go to a trade school.”

“Mmm...What are you working on?”

“Dad wants me to be a lawyer...Or a professional Soccer player like my brother.”

“What do you want?”

Laurent looked over at him again, eyes wide, as if no one had ever asked him such a question. Did he have no choice in any of this? Was daddy’s money controlling Laurent’s future? It sure seemed so.

“Me? Well...I...i’ve never talked about it before. But I’ve always wanted to do a couple things. I love writing. It’s something I enjoy doing a lot, and no matter of the topic, I go all out.”

A writer. He couldn’t entirely see that for Laurent. He didn’t come off as a bookish person. He just seemed like a snob that lived on his phone and did aerobics or something. And that was his life. He thought maybe the hot blonde would just work some office job for the rest of his life.  
But Laurent was just full of surprises.

“And what else? You said a couple of things.”

“A dancer. An actor. In high school, I was in theatre. There was just nothing quite like dancing, playing a part….singing with all of my heart. Pretending I was anyone but myself.”

Silence. A long silence. Laurent got a bit flushed.

“But that's...stupid. That sort of thing is not a real future. So a Lawyer it is. Laurent the Lawyer. I can’t keep up with my brother when it comes to soccer.”

Damen stopped right there, looking at Laurent with a twisted face.

“That’s not stupid. And anything can be your future if you really want it. All you’ve done, all day today, was surprise me. I legit thought I’d gotten myself into some hellish position with some snobby brat. You really play that part so well. Acting like you’re the prince of something. Like the world owes you everything. But you know what, spending a little longer with you, piecing it all together, your act is falling apart to me. But even so, you continue to play it.”

“And just...just hearing this now. I only just heard about it, but you know what, who cares. I think if you really want to do something, you should do it. You seem smart and sensible enough to pull it off.”

Laurent for the first time all day since he met him this morning, looked a bit dumbstruck. Naturally, before he let too much show, he concealed it. Was he seriously getting told off, but encouraged by this giant animal of a man? It really struck him somewhere deep down, but he didn’t let that much reveal itself.

“I--”

“No. Stop right there. You’re gonna say something about your dad. I know you are. You’re bound to him. His money is what’s keeping you in school. That much is true. But you were able to get in because of your own intellect. Not because of his money. Because that’s the kind of person you come off as. AU works with their students. Things may get rough, but if they really want you here, they will keep you here. Whatever the cost. So you should do what you want to do. Because it’s you that has to live the rest of your life. Not your dad.”

Laurent stayed quiet as if thinking hard about something. But after a minute or so of silence, he looks back to Damen with glazed over eyes. He was still thinking.

“I...I’ll think about it. I just need time...Thanks.”  
A tiny smile.

Damen was too fired up to realize his heart skipped a beat.

“Good. We barely know each other, but you’re my roommate, and I need you. So I’ll be here. Whatever you need, I’ll give it my best.”

“Enemy allies?”

“Yep. You may have been a UV attendant, but that’s in the past.”

Laurent chuckled a bit and shook his head.

“Let’s head back. I’m seriously tired.”

With a nod, they began to walk back to the dorms in a comfortable silence.

Maybe this year wasn’t going to be so bad after all.


	3. Till I'm Green In The Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurent knows how to party. And no one is going to wake up okay in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S PARTY TIME FOLKS.  
> So we are moving right along. I feel like it's a bit rushed, but you know what, whatever. I had some fun writing this chapter. And if you couldn't tell by the way I write him, I think Laurent is absolutely perfect. And I'm sure Damen does too. Eherm.  
> Oh, look! I added some more characters! They are...a bit OOC, but I really wasn't sure how to write out their personalities. I couldn't get in character with them...but that's okay, right? They're only brief scenes of them? Hehe... Maybe all of the characters are a little OOC this time around. Oops.  
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoying reading it as much as I did writing it.

One month had passed since school began and since Laurent had moved in. Damen had to get used to the others 45-minute showers, strange daily habits, and his occasional bitching about something he didn't like him doing.

But aside from all other things, living together was good.

Laurent had taken his advice and went for a change of major. He'd talked to his dad over the phone about it for 3 hours, Damen sitting there, supporting him.

The fight was successful in the end, so Laurent was still being fully supported by his parents and was now pursuing something he actually had a passion for.

His major was now in Drama, which was another big part of Akielos University curriculum, as well as all the sports programs. It wasn't called Home of the Greeks for nothing.

Everything was fine.

Until Damen changed things up a bit during his daily routine.

Typically, he and Laurent did not see each other until around 6 pm, spending the entire day in classes or extracurriculars.

But the coach was out for the day, so he had some free time. He wandered campus, and since it was about 2pm, things were still busy. People were bustling about their daily lives, getting to class and whatnot.

Damen eventually ended up over by the theatre arts wings, and he saw a small group of people outside. The theatre was a bit out of the way, allowing all the young actors and dancers to have some privacy if they wanted to work outside the classroom when they needed to.

Damen spotted a head of golden blonde hair and immediately recognized it as Laurent. He was holding himself differently than he usually did, looking far more serious and dedicated to what was ahead of him. Which happened to be someone else about his age from the same class.

They were acting out a musical, he realized.

He’d never heard or seen Laurent perform yet, so this was definitely a welcomed show.

Laurent’s classmate, a rather sightly redhead with fine, delicate features, had ended his singing bit. Something about love, he thought he heard. And then Laurent began his part. He became a whole different person.

Damen’s heart stopped, hearing what had to have been Apollo himself, serenading the yard with beautiful notes.

He had to hand it to him once more...he had some real talent. He sang like an angel.

When the part ended, everyone clapped and cheered. “Alright everyone, we'll call it for today. Laurent, Ancel, great job. You two will be phenomenal in next month's musical. It may just be the best yet.” The professor bubbled happily about his two star pupils. 

Laurent smiled charmingly and nodded to the teacher before grabbing his bag. He was about to start walking towards the dorms when he spotted his enormous, unmissable roommate standing there looking a little starstruck.

“How long have you been here?” Laurent inquired as he made his way over.

“Oh uh, long enough to hear you sing...I had no idea you could...that you...wow.”

Laurent rolled his eyes as he rummaged through his bag for his water bottle. After taking a long drink, he tossed it back in and looked at Damen.

“It wasn't anything.”

Damen gave him a look.

“Nothing? Oh, don't be so modest. That was amazing.”

“If not modesty, then what else do I have? My charming good looks?”

“Your looks and your wit.”

Silence.

“Anyways, shall we? Coach is out, so I've got the rest of the day.”

“Oh, cool. Yeah, let's go. I'm in dire need of a shower. Ancel smelled like the perfume department, and he was all over me today. I dislike smelling like an overly perfumed hag.”

Damen snorted.

They talked about their day on the way across campus to the dormitories. Damen had a paper due on Monday, and he hadn't even started the reading yet. Laurent had 2 papers and a study to finish by Wednesday. Both sighed upon reaching their door, Laurent getting out his keys to swipe the card.

“Holy crap, no way. You guys are roommates?” The voice was unfamiliar to Laurent, so he merely ignored the person, continuing on opening the door and walking inside.

Damen however, recognized it as his best friend Nikandros. He hadn't seen him yet today since they didn't have practice. He happened to be in the hall with Pallas and few of the other players.

“Hey Niki.” Damen greeted with a grin.

“You room with the Cast-Iron Bitch?”

Damen blinked, his grin fading.

“Wait, the what?”

“The Cast-Iron Bitch.” Pallas spoke up. “Everyone has been talking about him lately.”

“Yeah dude, apparently he turned down like half the team already this past month, harshly mind you. And just yesterday, he slapped Lazar for getting too close.”

Damen could not believe what he was hearing. Were they seriously talking about Laurent?

“I... I didn't know any of this? Also, who wouldn't slap Lazar for getting too close...A guy needs his bubble.”

Lazar pouted a bit. “What, he doesn't talk about it? I'm surprised you haven't tried your hand with him yet. He's just your type and everything.”

That much was true. Damen loved blondes.

But Laurent? He was just his really hot roommate. He didn't want to ruin what they had just to get a leg over him. That would ruin the rest of the year for both of them.

“Hah, I'd rather not try and make things awkward with my roommate thanks. And I highly doubt he's into me. He shows no interest whatsoever in sports players or me for that matter.”

“Does he even have interest in anything?” Nikandros raised his brows in question.

“Yeah. That makes me wonder. Wonder if we could figure out his type.” wondered Jord.

“Guys, please don't torment my roommate.”

“Gasp. Damen, are you…” Pallas gave a look around the hall before leaning in, “working on it?”

Damen groaned and began heading for the door.

“I'll see you guys on Monday.”

“Wait! There's a party tonight! You guys should totally come. It's off campus and is going to be totally lit. It may help you...up your game, if you know what I mean.” Lazar spoke up now, waggling his eyebrows at the end.

Damen blinked hard before seeming to give it some thought.

“Maybe. But not for that reason. Text me the address.” And with that, Damen shut the door and leaned back on the wood with a groan.

“You sound like a dying boar.”

Damen glanced over to where Laurent was currently relaxing on his bed, book in hand.

“Hmm...well you may not be wrong about the dying part.”

“Oh, do tell. I’d love to know more.” He didn't entirely sound serious, but Damen decided to indulge anyway.

“There's a party tonight. They said we should go.”

Laurent lowered his book down onto his stomach to look at Damen, his thumb stuck between the pages like a bookmark.

“A party? As in...a frat party?”

“Yeah...do...do you want to go?”

Laurent looked up at the ceiling in thought, acting like it was a difficult decision before coming to a quick conclusion.

“Yeah, why not. What time?”

“Dammit, they didn't say. But usually, it starts up around 8.”

Laurent nodded before picking up his book. “8 it is then. I’ll be ready.”

So it was finalized. They were going to the party.

But now they had about 5 hours of doing nothing to do. Damen decided to use his time wisely and start his paper.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

Damen had finished his paper after about 3 hours, with the help of Laurent, who had actually read the book before, and gave him his insight on the topic. Damen was thankful for Laurent’s presence, otherwise, he probably wouldn’t be going to any parties this weekend. That book was long after all, and he read all but 3 pages of the first chapter in total.

He submitted the paper and decided to start getting ready.

So he went, took a shower, fixed his hair how he wanted it so it could dry in that exact style. Curls were tricky to deal with after all.

When he exited the bathroom, he saw that Laurent had fallen asleep in the meantime. He wondered then if the other would wake in time. Instead of disturbing him, he went and sat down, getting on his laptop to pass the time.

Time passed, and by the time Damen had decided to check the time, he realized it was almost 8. Ten till.

Laurent was still asleep.

Fuck.

A knock on the door had him groaning lightly as he pushed his laptop off to the side of his bed. He answered the door, only to see Nikandros and Jord there, looking all polished and ready to party.

“Hey, it’s 8. You guys ready?”

“Oh uh, Laurent fell asleep.”

“He’s asleep? Wake him up. Let's go.”

“He’s not like the rest of us guys. He takes forever to get ready. Plus...it'd be like waking a demon.”

The two of them looked at each other before looking at Damen.

“Pfft. What is he, a woman? Well, we’ll leave him then. Come on. You cannot miss this party. I heard Ancel and Aimeric were going to be there. And everyone knows Ancel is probably like, part-time stripper.”

Damen recalled seeing Ancel earlier, and Laurent complaining about him. The redhead wasn’t really his type, so he didn’t entirely care too much to see him..

“But..”

“Aww, you don’t wanna leave your boo? We understand.” Jord teased.

“No. Let’s go.”

He quickly slipped on his shoes, grabbed his phone and was out the door with the other two.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

Laurent woke a whole 10 minutes after Damen had left, feeling groggy and disoriented. He looked around after sitting up, realizing Damen was nowhere in sight. The bathroom door was open, light off. He was gone.

Picking up his phone to check the time, he saw that it was 8:20.

“Fuck…Time to work some instant magic.”

He threw himself out of his bed and went into the bathroom.

And magic it had been.

He had managed to get ready in 30 minutes, and after looking at himself in the full body mirror, he nodded in approval.

“This will do.”

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

Meanwhile, the party was going strong. People were drinking, talking, dancing, laughing. Having a good time. Nothing crazy was happening just yet. Probably because everyone was eating more than drinking up the booze. Which would no doubt come very soon.

Damen stood around with the others on the football team, a red solo cup in hand, full of a mixed drink that was being served. He was feeling a bit buzzed already, a consistent grin on his face.

“So what does he do? He fucking yanks down his shorts and yells, ‘I’ll give you an elephant in the room!’” Nikandros was telling some story to the group about some party he went to over the summer. According to him, it was absolutely wild.

They all were hoping this party would be just as wild. Who didn’t want to experience one of those crazy frat parties that they could tell to people when they were old?

The group was laughing about the story, their voices just barely heard over the music and others talking. Damen was smiling about the story. Sounded like something he’d do if he was just as drunk off of his ass. 

Tonight surely would not be like that though. He wasn’t even sure if they had enough alcohol to get that shitty kind of drunk.

The party was slowly starting to make its way into its drunken stupor when the front door slams open. All of the party goers freeze and the music cuts out.

Ten men and six women dressed in cop uniforms walk in, serious-eyed, hands on their belts, ready for action. 

Everything was still.

Fight or flight.

Two more men came in, also dressed like cops walked in. One went for the stereo, plugged something in, then pressed play.

Confusion was widespread across the frat house.

What the fuck…

Music began playing. Music one would usually have in their ‘twerk’ playlist.

Someone else walked through the door before it closed. A familiar blonde with a sharp face.

Laurent.

“Let’s really get this party started.”

All the ‘cops’ suddenly ripped off their uniforms, revealing much skimpier versions. Then they broke off across the crowd and began dancing. Everyone was yelling and screaming in excitement.

Laurent walked cooly towards Damen, who had been standing on the other side of the room. He was swaying his hips just the slightest, moving to the beat of the music.

When he reached Damen, he looked up to him with a little smirk.

“Holy crap...what the hell was that?” Damen began.

“What? I can’t just show up late to the party without strippers. People will think I'm a cheap snob that just came for the booze and the party.”

Damen snort, now grinning again.

“I brought kegs too, but someone needs to go bring them in.”

The others that had been in the group Damen was hanging with stood still, looking stupefied.

“The cast-iron bitch knows how to party!” Nikandros suddenly yelled, raising his cup. “Let’s go get the motherfuckin’ kegs!”

"Laurie! Laurie! Laurie!" The group began chanting, heading outside in an almost conga line all the while, leaving Laurent and Damen alone.

“Where’s all the fucking booze. I didn’t do all of this to stay sober.”

Damen chuckled, leading Laurent to the set-up bar.

“Just give me the bottle.” Laurent had told the bartender. With a weary look from the bartender, he was left with a full handle of Fireball. He took his first few shots one after another, then shot Damen a flirty grin.

“Take one with me.”

Of course, the larger man could not say no to a look like that. They threw back two more.

And just as if he had planned it, after he threw back his 5th shot, the song Fireball came on, causing Laurent to begin wiggling his body.

He was dancing while he downed his 6th and 7th shots. And when the 8th shot was down, he was in the crowd grinding on the nearest body.

Damen was cracking up at drunk Laurents antics.

When Laurent returned, they both took a few more shots together, then Damen joined him on the writhing dance floor, dancing wildly with him. No one had any coordination when it came to alcohol and dancing, but Laurent somehow still had it in him to do a perfect twerk. He was shaking his ass like there was no tomorrow, never once tripping up on himself.

Damen just had to admire him. He had somehow pulled on those extremely tight leather pants that hugged him perfectly in all the right places. That black mesh shirt that kept nothing a secret. Especially not those gold nipple bars that Damen had no idea he had.

Laurent’s golden hair had been curled and off to one side of his head when he arrived, but it was now an almost straight mess, a light layer of sweat covering his scalp, some sweat dripping from his bangs.

Damen was all about this look. It really brought out a whole other side of Laurent. Showed his crazy, more daring side. It made Damen want to drink and party more. So he did. He downed some more shots and got down on the dance floor.

Eventually, a dance-off was taking place, and Laurent was kicking some major twink ass. Ancel, with his stripper-like moves didn't stand a damn chance against Laurent’s, though drunken, calculations of the best moves. It was almost natural that Laurent had won, winning a shot of the host’s most expensive booze. He and the host tossed it back, and the writhing of the dancefloor began again.

Laurent found Damen, looking up at him with squinted eyes and a grin.

“Here. Drink it.”

Damen looked at the shot glass in his delicate hand.

“What is it?”

“Booze. Drink.” The glass was lifted to his lips. Damen smirked and open his mouth, allowing Laurent to pour it in. Swallowing it, he nearly choked. It was so strong.

“Holy shit, what was that…” he repeated himself from earlier

“That expensive moonshine.”

His eyes widened.

“But you drank the winning shot…”

“I have my connections.”

“What did you…”

“Shh shh, no more questions. Dance with me. It’s my song.”

Damen was starting to think Laurent was a 16-year-old girl again. He would love Despacito.

He sang along with it as he gripped Damen’s bicep and elbow, pulling him over to the dance floor.

Damen let himself get pulled along, slithering among the sweaty crowd before they found a spot just under the twinkling lights. Laurents beauty was already so unrivaled by anyone he’d seen on campus. But right here, right now, he had a halo of fairy lights and reflected lights from the small disco ball turning just above them.

The way he moved his hips was turning Damen on, egging him on to dance with him. They were so close, legs occasionally brushing, their hot breaths mingling as they stared each other drunkenly in the eyes. Maybe it was just the alcohol getting to him, but he felt something...something he didn't normally feel. Something foreign.

Then Laurent turned away from him. Someone else had asked to dance with him.

He grew a little green at the way that guy was putting his hands on Laurent’s hips. The way they were moving together in a merciless drunken sway. The other guy was trying to get fancy with his steps but was just too intoxicated to do anything so elaborate.

Damen watched for a second, then saw Laurent get pulled along to grind on another.  
He couldn’t watch anymore and pushed his way back over to the bar.

Eventually, he got pulled back to the floor, but not before getting absolutely wasted, and he spent his night grinding on some blurry faceless no one. A blonde, but not the blonde he was feeling...some way for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Liked it? Let me know! Comment! Suggestions? Let loose~


	4. He Said What?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He thought the hangover would be the highlight of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm going to admit right off the bat, this one is a little...different, and dirtyish? Idk. And the absolutely absurd amount of dialogue and little action...is a habit I've really gotta break. But let's admit, sometimes, there is more action in words than movement. Especially with Laurent.  
> 

The morning after always sucked. Always. No one had gone home, so there were bodies laying around everywhere. People passed out in a drunken slumber. It was not an ideal situation. Some people had taken to the bedrooms, laying on the rugs, and the more unfortunate ones had passed out on the hardwood floors. There were even some people passed out on the grass out back.  
An absolute mess. There were cups, cans, bottles big and small. Torn down streamers, half aired and popped balloons. One of the recliners had fallen on its back, but that didn't seem to bother the sleeping occupant of it.  
All the doors, from the front yard to the backyard were wide open, and so were the windows.  
A random dog that didn’t seem like it belonged to anyone was eating a whole pizza on the floor. There was absolutely no explanation as to why the disco ball was in the pool, or why there seemed to be pictures of crude looking faces wearing a crown hastily drawn in permanent marker stapled all-round the house. And there was certainly no reasoning for the six-foot McDonalds sign propped against the wall.  
Damen found himself waking up to the feeling of something nuzzling his face. His eyes slowly opened, trying to figure out just where he was. The headache and the bright sun shining in caused him to wince. And after a few seconds, he reopened his eyes, adjusting slowly, though his headache gradually growing worse. Whatever it was that was nuzzling him was now moving around his hair. What the hell was that?  
He moved his head a bit to see what it was, and he was face to face with something gray and black. He realized after a few seconds just what it was, and he immediately jumped up into sitting. He stared where he had been laying partially off the side of the bed he was on, seeing it’s beady little eyes and black mask. A god damn raccoon.  
“What...the fuck…” He grumbled as he places a hand on his head. After watching the animal wander off out of the room, he looked around. He was not alone on the bed. His lower half was still partially under another body. He almost instantly recognized the blonde hair and the pants.  
Laurent.  
His mesh shirt was missing, straw-colored hair was an absolute mess, a Burger King crown on his head. A pink tiara was hanging from some of his locks, tangled in it. He was lying face down, and from the position, it seemed like he had been laying mostly on Damen up until he had a scare by the raccoon. But the blonde hadn’t even stirred from his sleep by the movements.  
There were two others on the bed, partially unclothed. Damen could only imagine what had happened. All he knew was that he felt...exposed.  
And boy was he. He realized he was bare-ass naked. And his nails were painted? That was a rather nice shade of red.  
\ Damen did not know what went on last night after he danced with Laurent, but he knew it had to have been some crazy shit if his waking state was anything to show for it. He removed himself from the bed and Laurent, looking around for his clothes. They were nowhere in sight. He ended up picking up a bed sheet and tied it around himself like an ancient Greek chiton. Once he felt like it was secure, he went about finding water.  
He needed it, and he knew damn well Laurent would too when he woke up. He ended up grabbing two glasses from the kitchen and went back upstairs, slowly as to not upset his throbbing head. Downing his before he arrived, he placed it on the nearby desk, walking to the bed with the other. Gently, he began to shake Laurent, only getting a little rougher when he wouldn’t wake.  
Without warning, Laurent raised an arm and smacked Damen with it. Damen groaned loudly, grip tight on the cup.  
“...Laurent…”  
The blonde moved slowly to lift his head and get his upper body up onto his elbows. Blurry blue eyes looked at Damen, squinting enough to almost completely hide the cerulean.  
“Wha-... Damen...your lip ish bleedin…” He says, words sloppy and slurred a bit. He had hairs in his mouth and dried drool on his cheek. Damen said nothing.  
“Yeah, you and your killer reflexes may have just brought their wrath upon my face. Anyways, sit up. Drink this water, then we’re gonna head back to the dorm. I feel like throwing up, but not here…”  
Laurent blinked a couple times before actually moving. He sat there, taking the glass and downing the liquid. Damen looked over him as he did, just admiring the lean muscle he didn’t normally get to see. He was so pale, like porcelain. There was a little mole just next his left nipple, and Damen noted one of the piercings was gone.  
The smaller was a bit more uncoordinated than usual, some of the water slipping past his mouth and dripping down his chin, then down the rest of his body.  
Before he realized it, Damen had lifted a hand slid it up Laurent’s body, smearing the water dribble. He froze when he reached the jutted collarbone, Laurent staring at him almost alarmed, but still, the glass still pressed to his lips, not tipped.  
Damen whipped his hand away, letting it drop to his side.  
“Sorry...I... sorry.”  
Laurent seemed to have let it go, finishing the water before just leaving the glass on the bed.  
“Let's get back...I need a shower…. really bad. And so do you.”  
Damen didn’t question it. He knew he did. So, with a nod, and a bit of support for Laurent’s uneasy legs, they left on foot.  
Hailing an early morning cab, and earning a few strange looks, they got back to the dorm. Laurent had been entirely sure he was able to walk on his own when they reached their room. So, Damen had let him go. One single step and Laurent was going down. And with surprising reflexes, Damen had caught him, but they were both on the floor now. Damen under Laurent. Both groaned from their hangovers before eyes opened to assess their predicament. They were laying on the thin carpet of their room, tangled up with each other.  
Laurent blushed but didn’t make any effort to move. Instead, he laughed quietly, burying his face into Damen’s chest.  
This took the brunette by surprise.  
“What are you laughing about…” he asked, looking a little dazed and flushed.  
“You always somehow manage to save the day...become the cushion at the bottom of my fall, if you will...It’s almost poetic…”  
Damen, let out an airy snort, smiling a bit.  
“I do my best. Your milkmaid skin would bruise like a dropped fruit.”  
Laurent had taken comfort in resting his chin on Damen’s almost bare chest, smiling as much as his hangover would allow.  
It was a peaceful relaxing moment. Then Laurent began to try and stand. He would have fallen again if Damen hadn’t pretty much acted like a crutch while still on the floor. 

Damen took a quick shower first, then Laurent was in the shower for a good while after their little floor fiasco. And Damen just could not wait. He seriously had to piss now, and he wasn’t about to try and take the stairs to get to the public one downstairs. So, he knocked, hand on his crotch, trying to pinch it off.  
“Yeah what is it?” Laurent called from inside, voice echoing throughout the small bathroom.  
“I seriously need to piss; do you mind if I just come in for a quick second...I cannot wait. I know you like taking your time. I’ll be quick.” He said frantically.  
There was a second of silence before the door was unlocked. He waited a few seconds before going in.  
The room was warm and steamy, smelling strongly of lavender, mint, and roses. Something he was used to smelling now with Laurent around. He realized the shower wasn’t even on. He heard the dripping of water into a larger basin of water.  
Laurent was taking a bath behind those curtains. Good god, this was going to be extremely awkward.  
“Oh...didn’t know you were...taking a bath…”  
“Yeah...I couldn’t stand…” Damen went to the toilet, now feeling very hesitant. God, he had to go so bad, but the silence made him nervous. He stood there for a while, urging himself to just not mind the other in the room and just go. It was just like a urinal...yeah...that's all it was. Nothing special. Normal stuff.  
...  
...  
“...Do you normally have trouble?”  
Of fucking course, he had to open his mouth right before he felt like he was finally going to go.  
“...no, now quiet. I can’t concentrate.”  
“You have to concentrate to piss?”  
“Laurent…”  
“Oh sexy, you’re calling my name with your dick in your hand, and I’m just a few feet away. Wet and naked.”  
Fucking…. fuck.  
Damen stayed quiet, just trying to drown everything out.  
Laurent clicked his tongue.  
Twice.  
Thrice.  
“LAURENT.”  
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.”  
Silence.  
...  
...  
Finally. Sweet release.  
Damen was in bliss, so closed his eyes for just a second.  
“God damn boy, you are hung.”  
Damen whipped his head, seeing Laurent’s head peeking out from the curtains.  
“Laurent...can you not...I’m pissing.”  
“I can see that. Nice and clear. Good and healthy.”  
Silence, Damen just trying to make sense of Laurent being...Laurent. Why was he like this...  
“I’ll reciprocate if you like. My curiosity was killing me. I’m sorry.”  
“You don't sound sorry.”  
“Well you’re done, and your dick is still out for all to see.”  
Damen sighed loudly, tucking away into his shorts before going and crouching next to the tub.  
“You're a cheeky little asshole.”  
“Your cheeky little asshole for the next 9 months.”  
Damen gave him a one-sided smirk.  
“Show me the goods. You don’t get a peek if I don’t get a peek.”  
Laurent looked up at him, eyes wide and spritely despite the dulled headache.  
“Ohoh, so you are curious? Then again, I guess it makes sense. You do stare at my ass any chance you get.”  
Damen flushed bright, though it didn’t show so much due to his complexion.  
“I do not...Well, I look but I... no... fuck.”  
Laurent relaxed his head back on the rim of the tub, just smiling smugly. He reaches a lazy hand to the shower curtain, gripping the fabric and throwing it back.  
“It's okay...maybe I want you to look.”  
Wait...what.


	5. Carry You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are so many sides of Laurent, not even a 20 die could keep up. But Damen had to admit, this was by far one of his favorites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, psych!  
> Lol, so this was actually not what I had planned for this chapter last night.  
> As I was typing, I kinda decided that I wanted to draw it out a little longer. So I guess this kinda just ended up more fluffy than anything.  
> Because who doesn't like a loving and caring Damen, and a helpless Laurent?  
> Sign me the fuck up <3  
> Listening List:  
>  I Wouldn't Mind - He Is We, Atlas: Hearing - Sleeping At Last, Take Your Time - Cary Brothers, Beautiful Soul - Jesse McCartney

What the hell did Laurent just say…  
Did he miss something important here? Was he just losing his mind and hearing shit?  
Maybe he had alcohol poisoning and it was fucking with him.  
Or maybe Laurent did.  
They could both still be drunk for all he knew. They drank far too much last night.

But before Damen could say anything, or even react, Laurent was suddenly on his feet throwing back the curtains and hopping out of the tub. The brunette was so surprised, he jumped back, getting out of the way of the stampeding Laurent.  
The blonde dropped next to the toilet and heaved, causing Damen to wince. He went to pull the others long hair back, letting him do his thing.  
Heavy breathing...more sickening splashes into the toilet.  
Damen felt bile rising a little in his throat, but he willed it down, looking away from Laurent.  
After a few minutes, Laurent finished his dry heaving and drug a towel down to wipe his face.  
“Well that was...unpleasant.”  
“How much did you have to drink last night…”  
“To be completely honest with you...I don’t know. I lost count after like...12.”  
So, he was still conscious of himself when he last remembered being around him. They’d had a moment there on the dancefloor, and Damen had worried it was just Laurent blacked out and not himself  
“Jesus, you really throw that stuff back don’t you…”  
“I... don’t drink often...it’s surprising I remember any of it at all...The last thing I recall, someone had put that burger king crown on my head.... After that, I could’ve run around in the nude all night and I wouldn’t have remembered.”  
The toilet flushed, and Laurent stood shakily.  
“I probably did some questionable things...cuz I absolutely do not feel right...I’m sore in places I’ve never been sore before.”  
That reminded Damen. His head dropped, looking over what should have been Laurent’s naked body. But he was not naked. He had on a pair of boxer briefs.  
Damen decided to just...leave that alone. Laurent was not looking so good, leaning against the wall his face looking paler and a little green.  
“If you’re gonna throw up again, do it now…”  
Laurent was about to wave it off, but he leaned over the toilet and began heaving again.

After 10 more minutes of getting Laurent to down some water and him throwing it back up, Damen finally got the other out of the bathroom and into his bed. Laurent settled back into the soft covers, letting Damen take care of him, make sure his pillows were fluffed, his blanket was covering him fully, and there was a trashcan next to the bed, so he wouldn’t have to get up again.  
The brunette set some crackers and water on his little nightstand, as well as some ibuprofen for his pains. Laurent thanked him before he moved away, causing Damen to pause right there, looking a little shocked.  
“It’s nothing…”  
“Don’t be so modest.”  
“...if not modesty, what else do I have going for me?”  
They both smiled, staring into each other eyes a little longer than usual before Damen went to dump himself onto his bed. Both were out like lights, sleeping the rest of the day away.  
Drinking like that would put anyone out of commission for a while.

Damen woke sometime before the sunset, orange glow still coming through the blinds. He felt groggy, but the headache was gone thankfully. Glancing over at Laurent’s bed, he saw that other was still fast asleep. Laurent was adorable when he slept, curling up like an armadillo under the covers. The only thing he could really see was a lump of sheets and messy locks of gold, but it was still just as precious to him.  
Damen decided to get up and see what he could make that was light and wouldn’t upset their stomachs.  
Ever since Laurent moved in, the cabinets, mini pantry, and fridge were always stocked with food. The other was a delicate, healthy eater. He made just about everything himself, which was impressive, despite him seeming to come from a family where that sort of thing wouldn’t be needed.  
Damen knew how to cook because sometimes he had to. Kastor was hardly a cook, having burnt an instant cup of macaroni once. And Damen did enjoy cooking, helping Laurent occasionally when he allowed it.  
Laurent was peaceful to watch doing daily tasks around the dorm. His usually scowling face would relax, his movements so graceful and always calculated. Damen just...he liked watching Laurent. He’d admit to no one, but Laurent himself on accident, that he did indeed kind of stare at his ass sometimes. Really, it was hard not to. The blonde wore yoga pants around the dorm often, and those things hid nothing. Especially not the outline of his thong. Damen still found it strange, but hot.  
Jeez, he really did have a thing for his roommate, didn’t he?  
He recalled the night before, dancing with him. They’d been so close. Their legs touched. Laurent had touched his arms, gripped his triceps, slipped his soft, warm hands over his forearms. And for a second, they held each other’s hands. So close, he could smell the moonshine on the blonde’s breath, and strawberry lip-gloss he had over those perfect lips.  
Then he also remembered someone else pulling Laurent away. Their hands on his hips, swaying so close to him. Grinding on him.  
The sound of plastic being crushed brought Damen back from his thoughts. Looking at his hand, he realized he had crushed one of the plastic measuring cups they had. Shit. Well, they could go buy another. They luckily had backups of other sizes.  
Damen completely shook the memories of the night before from his head and got on with his business. He had decided to make some soup, a recipe he memorized by heart. It had been in his mother’s old recipe book that he pretty much lived life on. It had been that book that kept him close to the mother he had barely known.  
Seeing her handwriting, the way she explained briefly, the words she used, he felt like he’d been with her all along. Like she’d never been gone. He did miss her sometimes though. Usually when he got towards the end of the book, where the handwriting was not as graceful. Sloppy and sick.

Laurent woke to the smell of a light chicken broth and mint. There was a gentle hand on his shoulder. He felt sick and little delirious. He forgot for a bit just where he was.  
“...Auguste...did you make soup…” He mumbled just loud enough for Damen to hear him.  
Who was Auguste?  
Thinking back to any mention of an Auguste, he didn’t recall. But then again, Laurent never really talked about anyone that had been a part of his life prior to attending Akielon University. The only people he occasionally brought up was his dad and his brother. More of his brother though.  
Perhaps Auguste was his brother.  
“It’s on the table when you want it.” Damen says quietly before heading to his bed to eat his own bowl.  
Laurent realized that he wasn’t home, and he’d called Damen by his brother’s name. The other hadn’t seemed to mind it, paying it no mind, which Laurent was thankful for. He sat up slowly, feeling even achier than before. His whole body felt like it was being pricked by pins, his muscle being torn slowly from the bone, though it was not painful. Just uncomfortable. It felt like he had a cold.  
He brought the bowl over to himself and looked over the brothy mix of noodles, carrots, potatoes and some other things that were more than likely vegetables. And of course, little chunks of chicken.  
“Did you make this completely yourself?” He asks, realizing he sounded extremely plugged up. He couldn’t breathe out of his nose, and his voice was croaking.  
Damen glanced over, hearing the change in the other's voice, but said nothing of it.  
“Yeah. It was my mom’s recipe. I use it rather often too so…”  
Laurent nodded, looking at the bowl again before lifting the spoon to his mouth, careful to blow it before placing into his mouth.  
The warm was already plenty to make him feel at ease, but the taste...oh the taste. It was a heavenly mix of chicken flavor, mint, and rosemary. It was unlike anything he’d ever tasted before.  
His eyes fluttered as he ate another spoonful.  
“That was heavenly.” He told Damen as he set the empty bowl aside.  
“I’m glad you liked it.” Damen smiled a bit.  
Laurent slid back down under the covers, shivering greatly now. He felt so cold and just could not stop shaking, no matter how long he lay under the blankets. He couldn’t even hold his phone still while he scrolled through his social media.  
Damen had noticed it after a while and decided to ask about it.  
“Are you okay? You look paler than usual…and you’re shivering.”  
Laurent looked over, shivering still and unable to even stifle it like he would most things.  
“Yeah...I’m just cold.”  
Damen had the thermometer set at 75. And Laurent was cold? Cold enough to be shivering like he was naked in a snowstorm?  
The brunette shook his head and moved to get out of bed. He walked the 10-foot distance to Laurent’s bed and sat gently next to him, placing his hand on the other's forehead.  
He was hotter than hell.  
“Holy crap, Laurent. You’ve got a fever. You must’ve contracted something last night. I’ll go get you a cloth.”  
Damen was up and in the bathroom before Laurent could say anything, coming back with a damp, cool towel. Sitting back down next to him, he folded the cloth over the blonde’s forehead and pressed down on it.  
“Do you need anything?” He asked, looking concerned.  
Damen was usually already so compliant with small tasks others needed of him, but this was different. The amount of concern for Laurent lying sick in bed was a whole other story. If he asked him for a watermelon in January, he probably would’ve crossed the world to get him one.  
Laurent admired this much about Damen. He was so caring and gentle, always there when you needed him most.  
“No... I’m okay. I just feel like sleeping. But I’m shivering so much, I don’t think I can.” His eyes were half-lidded, the blue of his eyes dull and unwell.  
Damen felt bad. He could do nothing to ease the other's discomfort.  
“If you need anything, I don’t care what I’m doing, tell me. I’ll get it.”  
Silence as Laurent stared Damen in the eye, his vision blurry, but he could see the little flecks of green in Damen’s brown eyes.  
“Lay with me…”  
Damen didn’t even think twice about it, pulling up the covers and slipping in next to the other on his bed. Luckily, they only had the fairy lights that Laurent had put up still on and not the overhead light. They could sleep like this.  
Whether it was just the sickness or just Laurent’s want to not feel cold anymore, Damen didn’t know what possessed the smaller to move closer, snuggling up to his side. A blonde head rested on Damen’s shoulder, lithe body pressed as tightly as possible to his. He adjusted himself to make it more comfortable for Laurent, not even going to question it. If it helped at all, he would do it. Because even though Laurent was a little shit quite often, he cared for him, and just wanted him to be okay.  
They lay there, Laurent’s shivers slowly wearing down to nothing, and Damen just watching his steady breathing. At some point, the blonde had fallen asleep. Damen did not feel tired. How could he sleep when he had the best view of the most beautiful boy on campus? Perfect little Laurent had chosen to lay on him. Him. He felt so...lucky. So lucky to have him as a roommate. So lucky to be his...friend.  
Because no matter how manipulative or crude Laurent could be, he had a sole base of kindness. A heart of gold lay just beyond those layers of scales.  
How many people had seen this side of him? How many has he opened to...comfortable enough to sleep on them.  
Damen did not and may never have the answers to those questions. And for now, he was okay with that.  
So long as it was him that got to have that chance now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may complain to me in the comments about how mad you are about chapter 4 being so misleading. I won't hold it against you XD I will still love you all~


	6. I Can Hardly Breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip into Laurent's difficult past, and the easier present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy~ <3

Laurent wasn’t sure of the last time he slept this well.  
Probably around the 3rd grade.  
That was when he had been first prescribed glasses, so he could stop running into poles he simply could not see otherwise. And that had begun it all.  
He’d been the center of ridicule since then. Apparently, the glasses really brought out the other ‘imperfections’ of himself. Like his crooked teeth and large freckles on his neck, shoulders, and back. 

He’d begun ‘losing’ his glasses more often and walking slower to show that he wouldn’t run into poles anymore. His mother tried to encourage him, his dad...attempted, but was terrible at it. Laurent was not his ideal child anyways. He was different from Auguste.  
Most kids loved reading for a good amount of time of their youth. But that was something Laurent never grew out of. And he was not physical in any shape or form. Aleron didn’t really favor that, but he did his best to include Laurent when possible. He was still his child after all, and he still loved him.  
All these things contributed to Laurent’s slowly increasing lack of sleep throughout the years and his decrease in self-esteem.  
Middle school, Laurent had begged to be homeschooled, which had been granted after a great deal of persuasion tactics.  
High school, he was forced to go back in. Of course, he attended a private school, being part of the high society, it was expected. Aleron knew Laurent was smart by all comparison, so he was pushed hard in his academics, and told he must join an extracurricular. To please his father with some type of athletics, and his own interests with animals and artful performances, he joined the Equestrian club and ballet. He’d always loved horses and had been a superb rider for as long as he could remember. As for ballet, he saw it as a challenge, which he liked, and it was all around graceful. Just what he wanted to be.  
For a final touch, before school began, Auguste helped Laurent with a makeover. Auguste knew Laurent struggled with his appearance and the anxiety of going back to school. So, they got his glasses traded in for contacts, some creams to lighten his freckles and beauty marks, and he joined the gym during the summer so he had a least a bit of muscle to show. As for his teeth, he’d gotten lucky that they had straightened themselves out by then, so he wouldn't have to deal with braces.  
He’d blown those that had made fun of him away. His perfect bob of golden hair, clear skin, bright blue eyes, perfect uniform. He was not the same bucktoothed, freckly kid they all remembered. 

Laurent could still recall them all just following him at a distance like vultures, waiting for him to make a mistake. He never allowed himself to make a single mistake. Never a break to hunch over and relax. He was not going to be ridiculed anymore, and by sheer will, he made it happen. 4 full years, he kept it up.  
He slept less, worked more.  
His life was an unending struggle to be one of the best, to outshine the sun and show he could keep up, surpass.  
It was successful. By senior year, he was the top of his grade, had many trophies for his victories in the Equestrian club, best ballet performance, and other gigs outside of school. Spelling bees, math competitions, science fairs, history day speeches. He was class president, excelling in every class he’d attended. And even earned himself to be Homecoming and Prom King.  
A prize teen he was.  
He held his head high, back straight as he stood there next to the principal as the man gave a speech about his astounding accomplishments. The history made.  
He was granted to take the horse he’d come to be very fond of when it was over.  
He was the Prize Student and could’ve had anything he wanted.  
He wanted into Vere University. But he didn’t even have to apply. Their representatives had been practically on their knees, begging Laurent to enroll to their prestigious university. Bait and reel. He had hundreds of letters and offers from other universities. But he decided to do what pleased daddy, and went to the University of Vere, just like the rest of the family had.  
The first semester, he went in strong, came out stronger.  
Second semester, a breeze.  
Third...Fourth...Fifth…  
The sixth. 

Laurent did not know what had gotten into him. Perhaps it had been the stress. Maybe it was the longing for something new. Something different. Some change in his life instead of the ongoing uphill battle to keep up his top grades and manage to sleep at night knowing that the next day, it would start all over again.  
But he decided to let loose. He let some people in his business class throw him a frat party for his 21st birthday. He got absolutely shit faced, blacked out, woke up to find some crazy shit had gone down.  
He’d missed his first two classes and came into his third hungover, smelling of booze and for some reason, bananas. Very strongly of bananas.  
The next week, shitfaced again. They stole a Dala horse from a Swedish town an hour’s drive away.  
The week after, it was a camel in the backyard.  
Week after week, it was something different, something crazy.  
And Laurent might have kept it up if his grades hadn’t begun slipping and his teachers hadn’t such snitches to his father.  
Laurent had been caught red-handed by his father himself one of those weekends.  
Aleron had been furious.  
Laurent got the scolding of a lifetime, stripped of any choices but two. Go to the school of his choice, or drop out, get a job, and never get a single cent from them again.  
It was obvious the choice he made.  
Because he awoke tangled up warmly with an Akielon Uni student. His big but kind and gentle roommate.  
Damen made life so much easier.  
Laurent had been intent on making his dominance clear to whomever it was that he was being forced to room with. He didn’t want any bullshit. No stupid fuck messing with his stuff or with him, or there would be consequences.  
But as fate had it, he was rooming with the quaint and simple Damianos. The Tight-End of the Akielon Lion’s football team. 

Laurent had made a fool of himself on purpose when they first met, just wanting to see what kind of asshole he was dealing with and to see whether he’d need to go outside and convince his dad to reroom him.  
He had fallen into that room he was now so familiar with, actually crushed by his own bags. If Damen didn’t help, he probably would’ve been fucked.  
But Damen did help.  
That big doofs face was priceless. And despite the dumbstruck face the brunette had been giving him, Laurent admitted to himself that he’d just roomed with a hottie.  
Laurent gave him a hard time that day, testing the waters, seeing what Damen could take, what he couldn’t. Damen took it all, though with a grumble under his breath.  
Laurent felt like the living situation was adequate and he could do it.  
But what really sealed the deal had been their night tour around campus.  
Damen had been so helpful...so passionate about him, even though they’d only met just that morning. He encouraged him to follow his dreams, to be where he wanted to be.  
Damen did not know the circumstances Laurent was in.  
He didn’t know how thin of a line he was walking.  
But he made him feel...at home. Like he could do anything, even if that anything included standing up to his dad to let him make his own choices.  
And he’d done it.  
With Damen at his side, he persuaded his dad to let him pursue the career he wanted, and still have his backing.  
He felt so happy that day, he’d treated them both to pizza and wings. It was there he found out the extent of Damen’s appetite. The guy could seriously put away a large pizza and wings by himself.

From that point till now, he’d been pleasant with Damen. Life went on smoothly. They lived in harmony…. okay so that wasn’t entirely true. Damen needed time to come to terms with Laurent’s daily rituals, and other habits. And vice versa for Laurent with Damen’s.  
After a whole month though, they fit like two pieces to a puzzle.  
Just like they did now in Laurent’s bed.  
His head lay perfectly over the muscle of the joint area between Damen’s chest and arm, shoulder tucked and warm in his armpit. He had one leg over and one under the brunettes larger one. The hand that wasn’t warmly tucked between their bodies, was resting just on Damen’s slowly rising chest.  
Two peas in a pod, they fit together.  
Laurent didn’t move much, just his head so he could look up at the darker males relaxed face, watching him sleep. Gentle snores from him lying on his back could be heard, making Laurent smile a little.  
Damen was perfect.  
Strong, reliable, caring, loyal...loving.  
Not to mention just how handsome he was. His tanned caramel skin was smooth to the touch, firm with muscle below it. His face was strong and intimidating, but still had all the capabilities of being sweet as milk chocolate.  
His smile like warm enough to melt an iceberg in the winter, laugh like molasses, voice of a god.  
A gentle heart of gold.  
Laurent realized as he stared up at him, his heart was racing. He felt so strange. He wanted. But he didn’t know what it was that he wanted. To be closer to Damen? To wake him?

Kiss...him.

Laurent internally shook his head.  
Kiss him? But why...he’s your roommate. He may be a perfect molding of a man. But that doesn’t mean you have to…  
Laurent didn’t even realize he’d begun to sit up slowly, sliding himself higher so his face was closer to Damen’s. He seemed to lose his restraint when he began to lower his head, closing in on the other’s lips.  
Laurent felt so shaky, but he didn’t stop. He closed his eyes...and kissed him.  
Damen had been waking up right about then due to Laurent’s movements and opened his eyes just as the blonde’s lips pressed to his.  
He lay completely still, not wanting to startle Laurent, though he knew that was going to be inevitable.  
When Laurent opened his eyes, part from him, he could see the second of Laurent reacting and then not reacting in the blue of his eyes.  
Damen stared up at him, trying to keep himself calm for Laurent’s sake.  
The blonde just stared back.  
“I’m sorry…” he says quietly.  
“You don’t sound sorry.”  
“...maybe I’m not.”

They were silent for a while, just staring, blue on brown, brown on blue. Green specks, marble blues.

Neither needed to speak before the distance between them closed again.  
Lips on lips, teeth pulled back to sneak tongues out and tangle together.  
Laurent was slow with his movements, inexperience with ever physically done any of this. He’d researched and studied kissing before, the best movements, how to do them. But none of that practice ever compared to the real thing.  
Damen could tell how green Laurent was with this, so he took just as slow, allowing the other to figure things out as he went.  
Their teeth clashed a few times, a bit lip or tongue here and there.  
Not a single word had to be said.  
They were contented with just this. Laurent trying his hardest to figure out kissing, and Damen showing him a thing or two with his own lips and mouth.  
When they finally parted, Laurent was panting, heart racing as faster than a stallion.  
Damen was smiling up at him.  
“How was that?”  
“Adequate.”  
“Fucker.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is placed a little closer to home in my own life growing up. Life can be a little difficult on children that stray from the norm.  
> Also, can I just have a Damen to cuddle up with and kiss...like...please??


	7. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Letting down the walls for even just for a second feels like peeling your skin away. Trusting again is never easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More serious stuff, and revisiting a bit of the last chapter. But a little added on stuff.  
> I may have had a bit of help from a song in writing this, and even coming up with the idea at all.  
> Nothing But Trouble - Lil Wayne, Charlie Puth  
> I'd say enjoy, but it's made even me just a little sad =(

That night had been spent with the two of them closer than they’d ever been. They discussed things about their past relationships, family, and whatnot. It was a long, deep conversation, and Damen could see how hesitant Laurent was to talk about any of it. So, he did most of the talking at first.  
“So yeah, I do have...an extensive history…”  
“Mostly women.”  
“Well...yeah. You know how guys are with their masculinity. It pinches and pricks.”  
Laurent was silent, nuzzling a bit more into Damen’s chest.  
“Yeah…”  
Laurent, though already sick and didn’t sound well, sounded worse now. Like something hurt.  
“Are… you okay Laure?”  
Laurent looked up at him with those large ocean eyes, smiling just the slightest at the nickname.  
“Yeah...No... I don’t know.”  
Damen hesitantly brought up a hand to brush a hair from the others cheek. This was so new and different. He was no stranger to being loving with his other lovers. But this just...it felt so foreign. Like he just walked into a strange new land, treading lightly. Laurent had been rather prudish when he wasn’t drunk, so Damen wasn’t sure if he even liked any sort of affection.  
But when Laurent placed his hand over his, keeping it on his cheek, Damen knew it was okay. Take it slow.  
“Do you want to talk about it? You know I’m for here you...I haven’t judged you yet…”  
“Not even the travel-sized dry shampoo I keep in your backpack?”  
“Wait what…”  
“Nothing.”  
Damen shook his head, trying not get distracted. That’s what Laurent was doing, trying to throw him off.  
“I won’t force you to talk. I just want you to know I’m here to listen if you need it. You hold in far more than you need to...I know you bear whatever problems you have on your own, acting like you don’t have any. You can’t fool me with that. I’ve lived with you long enough. Like I told you the night I met you, I can see right through you.”  
Laurent stared into his eyes, into his soul with those expansive blue eyes. They made him feel like he was a boat lost at sea, no hope of survival. But he knew better. There was an island somewhere in there.  
“...Do you really want to know?”  
Damen felt like Laurent was now feeling like he had to talk.  
“Not if you’re feeling forced. I want you to tell me on your own terms. It’s your choice.”  
His choice.  
That changed something in those blues. Something in the distance.  
“Then I’ll tell you.”  
Laurent let out a slow sigh, his body had grown tense, and he was trying to relax. Silence for a few minutes, Damen remaining patient.  
His choice.  
“...Well, I’m the second son of Aleron...He’s the CEO of a massive production industry.”  
“Richilieu…”  
“Precisely…”  
More silence, Laurent trying to get his bearings.  
“My brother is still attending VU, playing Quarterback for the Eagles.”  
Damen knew him. Very well in fact. Damen had been quarterbacking the year before, and he was always head to head with Auguste. He was a damn good player, fast, strong.  
“My mother runs a fashion empire. She’s always kept the family fashionable.” Laurent chuckles a bit.  
“I’ve always kind of been...second best...second favorite. The second son. The expectation was high, and I never knew how to keep up. I was never anything like Auguste. Never the football star, never the favorite of anything. But that never stopped Auguste from being the best big brother...Even at that, he was the star. I loved him even so. I wanted to be like him, but I just...I couldn’t. We were and still are, far too different.”  
Damen could feel his stomach sinking. Laurent. Beautiful, confident, sly, cheeky Laurent…

“I had to wear glasses...deal with crooked buck teeth, absolutely ridiculous freckles...everywhere. I was shy...didn’t know how to keep a conversation going. And god, I hated running. Unless it was on my stick horse at home.” He chuckled emptily.  
“I refused to go to middle school, so I was homeschooled until high school. Lost the glasses, lightened my freckles, let my hair grow out. And I wanted nothing but perfection in high school. I had taken a speech class in the summer before to help with my social anxieties, writing classes to get better with wording. I had a teacher to teach me poetry, referencing and argumentation. Sharpening my sword before I was forced back into hell, if you will.”  
“I kicked academic ass, graduated with honors, and principals rec. Every award that was available. Gave a speech, then I was done.”  
“In that time, between freshman and senior year, people were all over me. Be it to spew hate about how incompetent they were to keep up with me, or to drop off love letters. I didn’t have the time for either. Never had the time to look anywhere but in front of me.”  
“Uni was different. I started to stray...Seeing all these pretty boys with high grades running around...I got distracted. This one guy, Gage, he had to have been the hottest guy I’d ever seen...He was just below me in academics. I thought...hey, you know, would it hurt to try it? I can’t be a prude forever. I let myself relax around him...I let myself indulge in him. It was the worst mistake of my life. Not only had he gotten me into some sketchy situations, started leading me down a dirty path...but he was a terrible lover. He didn’t love me. I found in his phone that he’d been texting, talking and meeting up with all sorts of other…” A sigh.  
“He and I had a huge fight. Then he...he forced himself on me. He…”  
Laurent’s voice was becoming shaky. Damen realized this might have been the first time Laurent had ever talked about it.  
“You don’t...have to…”  
“No... I need to. Unless you don’t want to hear it.”  
Damen looked at him before nodding for him to continue.

“We stayed together. He told me if I didn’t stay, he’d release photos and nasty rumors. I couldn’t let him, for the sake of myself and my families reputation. So, we continued our relationship. I couldn't handle the tension and the stress of knowing he could fuck me over anytime he wanted. On my 21st birthday, I got absolutely wasted. I found relief in it. He was there with me every time, whether it was parties or at a bar. He got me drunk, we’d go home, he’d fuck me, then leave to do god knows what.”  
“Found out after a month after that began that he was a model. He had a contract, but he was also posting personally on Instagram. He was with me for the followers. His posts before me were meager. Obviously, he wasn’t happy with it. So, he picked some beautiful fool to butter up and post about with him. I was the fool...I thought he loved me...He always wanted pictures. Always brought me candy, flowers, more pictures. Pictures of everything we did. Everything.”  
Damen’s breathing was heavy, his eyes glazed over with rage as he listened.  
“...I should have known...He never wanted more than a peck on the lips. I could never get too close to him. I was blind. And that’s what landed me here. I was getting so shitfaced so often, my grades slipped, teachers snitched, my dad caught me. Everything was taken from me…”  
“And you had two choices.” Damen said, still feeling shaky with rage.  
“Here I am now…. hoping I’m not fooling myself...hoping I’m not fucking myself over by letting this happen…again.”  
Damen gave Laurent a look.  
“No... you’re not. You're not a fool, and I’m not here to play with you...I could never...ever do that to you. You’re worth so much more than that.”  
Laurent’s eyes were sparkling. He looked as if he would cry, but Damen knew he would not.  
“I’m used Damen...I’m not worth anything. I can’t even...let myself go without getting drunk...I can never be myself. My pride and will would never let me. How we are now...I don’t know how long I can keep it open. I don’t want...to hurt again.”  
“I wouldn’t let you hurt.”  
“It’s only been a month Damen.”  
“A very long month with you here. You’ve slowed my days down...I never want them to end anymore. A minute with you is a lifetime I’d want to live.”  
Laurent would have never cried in any other situation. His walls were too strong to come crashing down like that. But the drawbridge was down, a single tear slipping down. The blonde hid it by nuzzling into Damen’s chest.  
“I want to believe you.”  
“I’ll show it to you, if you’ll have me. It's your choice.”  
His choice.  
“...give me time.”  
“Okay.”


	8. Love's Divine Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you've hit rock bottom, go to the right and start making your way back up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I THINK this might be the longest chapter I've written. Maybe. But anyways.  
> I absolutely love this chapter. It was a hoot of a time proofreading it, and i enjoyed every second of it.  
> Sometimes i feel like i have an out of body experience, and it's not actually me writing this?? Like???  
> Okay, enough of my shenanigans!  
> Read! Enjoy! I hope you all like it as much i do!!!  
> Comment if you can! I'd love to hear back from ya'll! Anything!!

Things between Damen and Laurent had grown closer than ever before. They weren’t together, but every day that passed, their relationship progressed.  
Laurent let Damen come closer to him, let him help cook, or come sit on his bed when either needed help with homework. That was usually Damen with his English class, needing Laurent to proofread his essays.  
Every other day, Damen would go to watch Laurent practice for his upcoming musical. Damen had found out that Laurent had written most, if not all of the musical himself. And the teacher loved it so much, they were going to use it for their theatre night. Damen was nothing less than impressed by Laurent’s talent. Writing and acting. His dancing was absolutely flawless, even when he did mess up.  
And when Damen wasn’t there, Laurent would leave class early to go watch Damen in practice.  
Like today.  
He sat in the third row of the stadium, watching the team practice and exercise between each page of his book. Laurent still didn’t care much for the sport, but that didn’t stop him from at least showing up and giving Damen his support. He learned some basic knowledge about the game and its players, so he could easily analyze how good they were and identify what they were doing. Beyond that, he was clueless.  
To him, Damen was damn good in his position on the field. He was fast and was amazing at catching. He watched those large hands grip the ball with ease at each pass, and he wanted to feel them again on his cheek. On his body.  
The callouses, he remembered, were rough and scratchy, but they felt so good on his delicate skin. There was so much power in those arms and hands, and yet, Damen has been nothing but gentle with him. It made Laurent feel so good on the inside knowing that Damen was gentle with him. Damianos, tight-end of the Akielos Lions was gentle to him and only him, and Laurent loved it.  
He loved watching that strong body moving, sprinting across the grass with ease, bounding off the ground to catch the ball and rolling after a successful catch. He was graceful in his own way, and it left Laurent starry-eyed.  
And every time, since the beginning, instead of going off to the locker rooms with the boys, Damen would come over to Laurent in the stands, drop down onto a knee, still panting, and just smile up at Laurent.  
“How was today?”  
“Adequate. How’s your hip? You hit it first didn’t you? You looked like a rock dumped from the second story.”  
Damen shook his head, still smiling. Laurent’s prickled words never hurt him, only amused him. He knew Laurent well enough to know he was being playful.  
“It’s fine. I’m gonna need to ice up though.”  
“Yay, we get to stand at the ice machine filling the bucket forever again.”  
“But you get to sit there and watch me all naked in the tub. Don’t act like you don’t like it.”  
Laurent feigned thoughtfulness.  
“Hmm...I suppose that is a win-win. I can’t really complain.”  
Smiles exchanged before Laurent leaned forward, pushing aside some of Damen’s sweaty curled hair.  
“You need to get rid of this beard you’re growing out...If you get any more handsome, I’m going to have to fuck you.”  
Damen blushed hard, but it blended with his already flushed face.  
“...Well then, I’m just gonna have to throw out all of the razors, aren’t I?”  
A small upturn of Laurent’s lips.  
“Good things are coming your way, handsome.”  
“I look forward to them, beautiful.”

The next week was a busy one. Damen was preparing for a huge game on Friday against their all-time rivals, the Veretian Eagles. But on Thursday, Laurent’s musical would be premiering. Damen had practice that night, but he swore he would make it for the 7:00 pm time frame. No matter what it took.  
Both worked hard that week, practicing, icing, sleeping, repeat.  
The day came for Laurent’s musical and Damen was already so late. He was supposed to ditch out on practice halfway through to go get ready, but the coach had the eye of an eagle today. He didn’t take his eyes off his players, tense because of the game coming the next day. He was taxing Damen the most, asking a lot of him because he would be very important in tomorrow's play. Damen cursed internally, just watching the huge clock on the scoreboard.  
He had 30 minutes when they were finally let out. Damen didn’t even let the coach finish his speech before taking off running for the dorms, still in his gear. He didn’t care. Right now, he needed to be across town at the enormous amphitheater, clean and dressed nicely, sitting front row of Laurent’s musical. He could not be late.  
A two-minute shower was all he had, cleaning only what was important, then jumping out. He saw that Laurent had laid out some clothes for him. Brand new, silky, fitting. Of course, the other would be so extra.  
He slipped on the dress pants, tightened the belt, slid on the silk shirt, buttoned and tucked it, then the dress jacket. He was hopping his way to the door while he put on his socks and dress shoes. He barely grabbed his phone and wallet before bolting out of the door.  
Laurent had told him earlier that he could take his car, as his brother would be picking him up to take him to the theatre.  
Clicking the button on the key fob, the car started up, unlocking when the fob was close enough. He got in, revving a few times before peeling out of the parking spot, then sped off to get onto the street.  
This was the only time he cursed about living in the back of campus. It took forever getting onto the streets. He was probably breaking speed limits trying to get there, but he didn’t care so long as he wasn’t late. He glanced at his watch, seeing that he had 20 minutes by the time he got on the road.  
He was about to sigh in relief, knowing it wouldn't take long from this point, but of course, he just could not get a break.  
Bright blue and red lights were suddenly flashing behind him.  
“FUCK!” He slammed a fist on the steering wheel. He considered trying to outrun the cop, but he didn’t. It wasn’t his car, and he didn’t want to make matters worse.  
He was tapping anxiously on the armrest, getting impatient after pulling over. This guy was taking his sweet ass time. He had already had the window down when the man came up.  
“License and registration.”  
Damen had both ready, thanking Laurent for keeping it where it was easy to find.  
The man took off with both, and Damen was back to waiting anxiously. This was going to be a fat ticket--.... wait.  
This wasn’t his car. His name wouldn’t match up on the registration. Fuck. FUCK.  
“...god dammit...I’m so sorry Laurent.”  
He threw his head back into the headrest.  
He was so going to be so fucked. The man came back, handing him the papers and license.  
“I’ll make this quick, you were going 70 in a 55. So, here’s the ticket. You’ll be mailed in 2 to 3 weeks with more info about it. Don’t speed. Have a good night.” The officer then rushed off.  
“What the fuck…”  
Damen looked down at the registration papers.  
They had his name on them.  
“...this extra ass motherfucker.”  
Luckily, the cop was gone, so Damen peeled out, speeding again.  
He came to a screeching stop in front where the valet was.  
“Scratch it, you’re dead.” He said with a gruff tone. The valet, a skinny little white boy, nearly dropped the keys when tossed to him. A huge man in an outfit that probably costed more than his car, threatening death was nothing less than terrifying after all.  
Damen was running up the steps, practically throwing his ticket at the front before running inside.  
He slowed at the door, taking a breath before walking through the doors of the main theatre. It hadn’t yet begun; which Damen was so relieved for. He headed straight down the stairs to the front row. He found his seat next to someone...familiar.  
Blonde hair, chiseled face, thick build.  
Auguste.  
He sat down, Auguste looking over.  
“...No way…” Auguste whispered.  
Damen looked to him, a side grin.  
“What’s up Eagles boy.”  
“Why in the world are you here? I never took you for a musical kind of guy.”  
“I’m not. And I can say the same to you.”  
“It’s my brother’s musical. And you didn’t answer the question.”  
“I’m here to see the successes of my roommate. Or as you call him, your brother.”  
Auguste was about to respond, and with the way his face twisted, it was not going to be anything pleasant. But the curtains opened before a single word could make its way out.  
It would have to wait till after.

Damen had absolutely no words. He couldn’t have been prouder of Laurent. His performance, the musical itself, was out of this world. Astronomical.  
He’d seen some of these scenes played out in the yards outside the drama wing, but seeing them on stage, full costume, full character...it was truly another world.  
Laurent’s voice had captured everyone in absolute awe.  
He was an angel on that stage, and Damen wanted nothing but to go backstage and wait for him, so he could be the first one to see him and hold him close. To kiss him and tell him how amazing he had been. How he’d captured so many hearts by just his performance alone.  
When the final act was played, and the curtains closed, Damen stood up and booked it for the backstage doors, just ahead of Auguste.  
His pass allowed him instant access, which he barreled through as soon as he could, Auguste on his tail.  
And there he was.  
Laurent stood just inside of the backstage area, people crowding him, applauding such a perfect performance. Laurent didn’t look too pleased to be surrounded, so when he caught an eye on Damen, he pushed through and ran for him. Damen met him halfway, Laurent leaping towards him, and the brunette easily catching him.  
Not even thinking, they both locked lips. Passionate, sticky, sweaty.  
The world around them did not exist.  
But it did, and the sound of Auguste clearing his throat was enough to bring them both back to reality. Laurent looked over, smiling with a dazed, lovestruck sort of smirk. His usually perfect blonde bob was a bit frizzy, a flyaway here and there.  
“Auguste, what’d you think?” He was acting like the little scene between him and Damen hadn’t just happened in front of of his Vere attending brother.  
“Nothing less than perfect. Just like I’d expect from you. And before you try worming out of it, what the hell is this. Why are you two...What? I don’t understand…” Auguste was obviously very thrown back by the display of affection between his brother and one of his team’s rivals. His own rival at that.  
“What is there to explain? I kissed him. Isn’t it obvious?”  
“So, you...okay no, let me get this straight. You get transferred to Akielos Uni, our founding father's rival school since like, the 1840’s, and the first thing you do is get with one of their students? Have you lost your mind? Are you still trying to do this rebellious shit that got you stripped down in the first place? How do you think dad is going to react this? How anyone is going to react to this?”  
Laurent had Damen release him and walked up to Auguste. The two had very similar qualities, the golden hair and blue eyes being one. But Laurent, though nothing compared to his brother, was far more beautiful. His hair was more golden, eyes lighter and far more stunning.  
Or maybe Damen was just biased.  
But regardless, the two facing off like this, it looked like an eagle and a viper having a staring contest. Who was going to strike first? Who was quicker, deadlier.  
“Maybe I have lost my mind. Maybe I’ve gone completely off the rails mad and have decided to side with the enemy. But you know that would never be. Who gives a fuck where he’s attending, or where anyone has attended. School rivalries are so pointless and create an unnecessary war between people. You want to know why I kissed him? Why I threw myself at him right in front of you? Why I’d risk the money and my life with my family? Well isn’t it obvious? Or perhaps you’re blind to anything like that, like our father.”  
Damen could hear the venom dripping from Laurent’s lips. Was he seriously biting his own brother for him? His beloved brother...for him…  
“I love him, Auguste. He is the reason I stand right here where I am now, in the backstage of a musical I write and produced myself. He is the reason I’m standing tall, covered in sweat, and never feeling more accomplished in my life. No number of awards could ever make me happier than I am right here, right now. Why wouldn’t I risk it all for the man that’s given me the chance to be myself? Given me the strength to stand up and follow my dreams.”  
Auguste’s tense shoulders slowly became lax, his hardened eyes softening. His baby brother stood before him differently than he had two months ago. His head wasn’t bowed down, looking hopeless and ashamed. He wasn’t the broken and stripped kid that was forced from his hometown for the sake of recovery to reputation.  
Laurent could see Auguste coming to the terms of it, but he did not stop there.  
“If I had never come here...If I had never met Damianos, I would have become a drone. Just like everyone else. I would have been a lawyer, working half and half for the innocent, and the scum of the world. My life would have been a world of paperwork, unhappiness, and grey. And every day, I’m reassured that this was no mistake. I don’t want to go back, looking out the window of my desk job, dreaming of a would-have-been life. I’m living that would-be-life. Right now. I am in it. And I’m going to stay in it. Dad can disown me. He can take everything away from me, down to the last cent. I don’t care. Because I’ve learned, that I can make my own way if I truly wanted to. So I will. I’ll carve my way. I don’t know where it’ll take me, but I’m making my change, and I’m breaking away from that dull grey life. And I can only hope you’ll be there to see me fly.”  
Auguste began to smile.  
He was so proud. He wasn’t the shy, freckled child. Nor the prudish, all work and no play teen. He wasn't the just as serious college student. Or the spiraling and failing man that had been sent away. He was bright-eyed, ready to take on the world with his bare hands, get a little dirt under his nails.  
Auguste opened his arms and pulled Laurent close.  
“You’ve done it...You’ve gone beyond anything anyone could have ever asked. And I can’t wait to watch you soar...take a risk...make the change. Just don’t forget about the rest of us down here on earth.”  
Damen had a new respect for Auguste. Laurent had been right about one thing. He had been the perfect big brother, and that would never change.  
The two parted, both smiling and full of familial love.  
“Damianos...you’d better take good care of him. Though, I guess you already have been.”  
Damen smiled and nodded.  
“And don’t think I will take it easy on you tomorrow. Be ready have your ass handed to you.”  
“I wouldn’t expect any less than a fight from the Eagles all-star player.”  
Exchanged challenging grins.

When Laurent was all cleaned up and changed, they went out to the to the audience chambers to meet up with Laurent’s parents. Auguste had gone ahead of them to break the news for Laurent. Auguste was on better terms with their father after all and stuck his neck out for Laurent’s sake. Auguste had back to come to walk with them, telling them the good news. They accepted them. As they were.  
Aleron, upon seeing his son's astounding performance, and knowing that his son had written most of its script and play, he was in a very good mood. And upon learning that Laurent had been capable of this because of one good friend, they insisted to meet him.  
“Wait so you didn’t…”  
“No... I couldn’t...I’m sorry.”  
Laurent sighs.  
“I suppose I will do it.”  
Damen then realized they hadn’t gotten to discuss beforehand. Were they really...officially...together?  
He leaned over to whisper to Laurent.  
“We’re together?”  
“Yeah, isn’t this what you wanted?”  
“Is this what you want?”  
“Of course. A minute with you is a lifetime worth living.”  
Damen felt his heart flutter and hurt. Like a million tiny butterflies filling it to the brim.  
Neither Laurent or Damen knew what the rest of the night held for them after meeting the parents, but they did know that whatever happened, they would still have each other.  
And Auguste.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some endnotes, more heavy song references. You might have caught them, you might not have.  
> Also, I referenced this screencap on Tumblr from Yak, and that post is what caused me to write this entire fic. I just had to use it. I loved it far too much. It was such a Lamen thing. DErp, I'm such a sucker for these two.  
> Comment if you got any of the references.


	9. In The Middle Of The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victories always call for a fitting celebration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *buries face in hands* Just....just take it...read it. Enjoy! >A<

The night had been one success after another.   
Damen met Laurent’s parents, as well as his...very strange uncle. Very, very strange. Luckily, he hadn’t stayed for dinner.  
Things had been a little tense at first, since Damen was still an Akielon Uni student from the beginning, unlike his own son, who had wanted to go to Vere.  
But the tense atmosphere quickly dissipated upon Aleron finding that Damen was an Akielon Lion Tight-End. Auguste talked him up, telling them all about how Damen kicked his ass the year before when Damen still played Quarterback.   
When questioned on his change of position, Damen was a bit shocked. No one had asked him why before, and Aleron seemed very intrigued. This was in his interests, so Damen decided to roll with it.  
“Well, I sprained my hip flexor on our last play, and I’m just not nearly as fast as I need to be anymore. Plus, we got a rookie in that could outrun me this semester, so I ended up as a Tight-end.”  
“Well, that is still a certainly still a good position. I think I recall one of your plays last year. You and Auguste were neck and neck in speed on the field.”  
Damen nodded, Auguste smiling proudly.  
“I couldn’t keep up with him now though.”  
“Yes, that is a real shame. You both are in your prime. It surely would have been the game to see. But regardless, I’m expecting a lot from you. You may be an Akielon, but what you’ve done for my son...I do support you. You are a respectable young man. I will still be seated tomorrow on the visitors. So, don’t expect much.”  
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, sir.”

The night came to a winding end, and with a promise to see each other tomorrow on the field, they all parted from the restaurant. Laurent let Damen drive them back to the dorms, and he just relaxed in the passenger seat.   
He could feel the blonde’s eyes on him, staring at him fondly. Damen glanced over and smiled.   
“So…. lover, how was your night?” He asked.  
“Wonderful...my dad actually liked you. That’s a real feat you know. He doesn't particularly like anyone.”  
Damen’s smile grew a little more.  
“Perhaps he likes the game more than me. But who knows.”  
Laurent just shrugged, still just lounging back in the low seat. He could sleep here. Before they got to the school, Laurent spoke up.   
“Can we...just drive for a little while. It feels nice.”  
Damen couldn’t say no to those half-lidded eyes, long lashes nearly cover the soft blues that glittered in the street lights outside.  
“Of course. Whatever you want. It’s your night.”  
A small pale hand reached over, holding out, waiting. Damen lifted his free one and gently gripped Laurent’s, resting their hands and wrists on the center console, intertwined at the fingers. Laurent’s soft hands felt tiny in his own, and he felt like if he squeezed too hard, he’d bruise and break them.  
Driving for a long while, just going wherever the road took them. It took them out of the city, along the countryside where grape vineyards were the main occupants of the area. The lights of the city were out of sight in the rearview when Laurent told him to pull over.   
Damen thought something was wrong, so he pulled over. He hadn’t expected Laurent to reach over, pulling the lever to throw the back of his seat all the way down. Nor had he seen ahead enough to know Laurent was going to crawl over to straddle him, their bodies so close together. Pale hands were on either side of his head on the seat, blue eyes staring down at him. It was dark, save for the bit of moonlight shining in, and the dim stereo lights. The outline of Laurent had Damen feeling shivers up his spine. He could see the perfect shape of his body inside of that silk shirt that had become a bit disheveled from slouching. Laurent’s hair was perfect, as always, glowing in the low light.  
He could feel a bit of an arousal pressed up against him.  
“I want to feel you.” Laurent suddenly said, the shimmer of his eyes had the brunette feel a twitch in his own nether regions.   
Damen said nothing when he lifted a hand, placing it on Laurent’s hip, sliding it upwards, lifting the silk with it so it came untucked. His other hand untucked the other side directly, then slid under, passing over a soft-skinned, taut stomach.   
Blonde eyelashes fluttered, head falling back just a bit.  
God, Damen thought, Laurent was such an angel.  
Hands retreated out of his shirt and came to start unbuttoning it, top to bottom until it slid easily off onto Damen’s leg. Milk white skin glowed in the moon’s light, and Damen was singing himself a hallelujah.   
His arousal was now at peak, just looking at that pale skin, pink nipples perked and practically begging to be sucked. The piercings were both there, white in color to blend with his shirt, Damen supposed. But there was a new one that Damen knew hadn’t been there before.   
“When did you get this?” He asked, gently running his thumb over the white diamond naval piercing the other had.  
“I’ve had it...just hadn’t had any jewels in it in a while.”  
That made sense. Damen never really got to have more than a second’s glance at his stomach as it was, so he wouldn’t have seen the hole.  
“I like it.”  
Laurent hummed, smirking.  
“Got a thing for piercings, do you?”  
The brunette blinked, thinking a second on it. Then he came to a realization.  
“I guess I never really thought about it. But yeah. I guess I do.” He chuckles a bit.  
This had Laurent smirking.  
“What are you getting all smirky about?” Damen asked, another chuckle.  
“Mm... oh nothing...Keep touching me.”  
That was a demand Damen would have never refused. He started both hands on bare hips, sliding strong hands easily over smooth skin.  
The way Laurent’s head was bobbing back, his eyes closed, had Damen wanting more. He left no single inch of skin on his front of back untouched, and when he covered the areas at least a dozen times, he came to a stop. His palms rested where the faintest outlines of the V began.   
The brunette looked to Laurent, waiting for his permission.  
Blue eyes met him, and next thing he knew, they were kissing. Laurent was getting good at this, taking control, but acting as if he wanted a challenge. Damen decided to give him.  
He gripped the male's rear with both hands, squeezing and pulling him closer. His tongue pushed Laurent’s aside and slid into the others hot mouth.   
The noises the smaller male was now making made Damen feel like he was going to die of a heatstroke. No one had ever been hotter than Laurent. Or make him feel so passionate to want more of him.  
Tongues fought for dominance, but Laurent eventually gave in, letting Damen take reign over his mouth.  
Large hands were now massaging the firm, clothed ass they were on, thumbing into the thick muscles there.  
Laurent removed a hand from Damen’s neck to begin unbuckling his belt and undoing the buttons of the pants.   
Damen took his cue and pushed the pants down, hands on bare ass cheeks now. He gripped them fully, pulling them apart gently, then releasing. A breathy moan encouraged him to keep doing it.  
They parted their now swollen lips, Laurent leaning his full weight on Damen, their chests molding together. Damen went in for the neck, biting gently just below the ear before placing his lips on the skin and sucked. Laurent had begun rubbing himself between his pants and Damen’s arousal, quiet moans filling the car.  
The windows were all fogged up by now from their hot, heavy breathing. And after Damen lifted his lips from the dark mark on Laurent’s milky skin, he bit the same tender spot, causing Laurent to lift a hand and shakily place it on the clouded windows. Sliding down, it left a drawn out, wet handprint down to the seal of the door panel.  
Laurent shivered as he pulled back to look at Damen.  
“Suck me…” He breathed, his swollen pink lips making him slur a bit.  
Damen could have come right there, hearing that raspy, needy voice.

It wasn’t ideal, but they got out of the car, Laurent having stripped out of what was left of his clothing and stood there on the still warm asphalt of the road next to the vehicle. He leaned there on the shiny clean paint, naked as he could be, and Damen kneeling in front of him.  
The brunette looked over Laurent’s bare body for the first time in the dim light of the car headlights and the moon.  
He was beautiful.  
Cream skin, fine shadows to outline his perfectly sculpted out figure. His arousal was throbbing as Damen breathed over it.   
And Damen realized now why Laurent had been grinning before.  
There, at the bottom of the head of his perfectly shaped cock, was a small white Prince Albert ring. Damen had to take a deep breath at seeing it. Good god, that was so hot. He happened to look beyond the shaft and saw something shining at the base, to which he supposed another piercing.  
Laurent had no idea how hot and bothered he was leaving him, just knowing and now seeing that he had these piercings.  
He didn’t waste another second before licking over the piercing, slowly, feeling the warm metal slide easily past his tongue. He let his mouth go on autopilot, knowing just how to work a needy cock. Laurent’s hands were gripping at the car's side, his head throwing back when Damen suddenly went down on him, taking him fully.  
Brown eyes fluttered, and he got busy, giving Laurent the best head he’s ever had, and ever will have.  
Thin fingers slipped into his curls, gripping at the bases, lightly pulling and encouraging him. Damen wasn’t sure how much longer he would last, so he lifted off, sucking at the base and shaft, his hand holding it in place to aid his mouth.  
Gentle, helpless cries slipped from plump pink lips, letting Damen knew he was almost there. So, he slid his mouth around him once more and began bobbing slowly, sucking hard.  
A tight grip on his hair and a soft yank, a loud gasp, and Laurent came into his mouth, to which he took every drop. With one long, drawn out suck, Laurent’s spent cock popped from his mouth.   
Before he could swallow what was left in his mouth, Laurent pulled him to his feet and kissed him, forcing his tongue into Damen’s sticky, cum-coated mouth. They kissed like this for a good couple of minutes, Laurent tonguing up every inch of Damen’s mouth, tasting a mix of the larger male’s taste, and his own seed.  
When they parted, Laurent was red in the face, panting heavily.   
“You’re not hard…”  
Damen realized then that he wasn’t, but he could feel something dribbling down his pants.  
“Not anymore…”  
Laurent grinned and chuckled tiredly, spent from their activities. Damen, pulled the blonde close, just sliding his hands over a smooth back.  
“You’re amazing…” He heard, just barely a whisper.


	10. Don't let go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Making it official, and hoping it to last forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaahh I live. Things have been crazy! Midterms, ag expo and stuffs! But I return!  
> So this one is VERY long. Half an apology for missing Valentines, but part just because I've been giddy to write this.  
> So here ya'll are.  
> Also, if you're a football fan by any chance, don't maim me. Because I'm not, and I know I botched the living shit out of some of this. But for the story, I did my best. <3  
> Enjoy!

The night before had been spent in one bed. A tangled mess of limbs and hair. Nothing much had happened, being that Laurent was tired from the hard work spent on his musical. But then, so was Damen, having been at practice for a good while before the musical.  
But they were just as happy just being close to one another.

The next day, Damen spent the next day in his mind, even though he was out in the field with the team. Preparations were underway around them. The game was going to be huge. The stadium was going to be full in the next 5 hours, and he’d be out here, floodlights on them. But he just couldn’t seem to focus.  
He was remembering the morning, when he’d woken, his face was buried in a mess of gold, smelling roses. His hands were touching soft skin, arms around a thin figure.  
It was warm…  
“Earth to Damen. Is anything in that thick skull?”  
Damen blinked, focusing on the face in front of him.  
“Nik, what are you doing.”  
“Um, watching you chase butterflies in the field. You good? I threw the ball, but you were in outer space. It hit your shoulder pretty hard, but you didn’t budge…” Nikandros sounded rather worried, a concerned brow raised.  
“Now isn’t really the time to have your head in the clouds.” The coach said, walking over to the two  
“Yeah, i know. Sorry Coach. I’m here now.”  
“Good, you better be. We need you to be all here on the field. Tonight is important. We beat the Veretians tonight, we will have a three-year winning streak. That’ll be good luck for years to come for this team.”  
“I’ll focus.”  
A sudden yelp from the left of the field had them all snapping their necks to look. Everyone rushed over, gathering around.  
The coach pushed through to assess what happened.  
Pallas, the Akielon Lions current quarterback, was on the ground gripping his ankle.  
Whispers were going around.  
Was he okay? Would he be okay to play? Do we have anyone that can really replace him? Was anyone quick enough? Smart enough? Valiant enough?  
The coach, Makedon, sighed before waving some of the others over.  
“Get him to the infirmary. He’s done.”  
A sudden uproar of players yelling.  
What the hell were they going to do?  
They needed a quarterback. No one was as fast, or as good as Pallas. Except--  
“Verras...” The coach started, looking to Damen. “Are you up for a challenge tonight?”  
Dark eyes narrowed.  
“Always, coach.”

As predicted, the stadium was packed with football fans around the area. Locals, some out of towners, visitor side supporters. Fan support was in full swing, full colors. Midnight blue and gold, versus royal red and gold. Longtime rivals.  
Damen could hear the roaring of the crowds above him, even over the sounds of the locker room packed with prepping team players. Damen was dressed and ready to go, his helmet beside him. He was off where he could get himself psyched, ready to get back out on the field in a position he only just reclaimed hours before. A position he was not prepared for this year.  
The atmosphere was tense.  
Everyone could feel it.  
Nikandros had taken Damen’s position plays, and so forth.  
The team had been adjusted, and now, their strength would truly be tested.

Silence.  
Unusual silence for a locker room.  
Damen looked up from the floor to find the cause of the strange silence, only to get an eyeful of glowing blonde hair standing at an open door.  
Laurent.  
Damen stood, walking over while Laurent met him halfway.  
“What are you doing here?”  
“Makedon sent me. I heard what happened...what is happening. I just wanted to come and make sure...it’d be okay.”  
Damen felt his heart flutter a bit.  
Laurent was here for him. Thought the blonde wouldn’t have said it entirely himself, he knew that was why he was here.  
“Yeah, it’s okay. I’m glad you came though. Things are tense, but we haven’t given up our hope yet. The game hasn’t even started.”  
The players that were listening liked what they were hearing. He was right. The game hadn’t started, how could they predict failure already? They couldn’t.  
“I’m glad. You guys were too good in practice to just fall so easily. I think you guys still have a chance.”  
“Says the former UV student? Hah, that’s laughable. He’s getting our hopes up, so we’ll crash harder in the end.” Someone spoke up, sneering at Laurent. “You shouldn’t even be in here you spoon-fed brat.”  
A few of the others chuckled.  
Laurent looked over with unamused half-lidded eyes.  
“I’m sorry, and you are? Oh, you must be the Debbie Downer of the team, right? The little bitch that can’t catch without a hitch and a drop at the end? That’s really cute. It’s a wonder they even keep you on the team at all. Can’t block a pass in defense, if your life depended on it.”  
Jaws were dropped.  
The man’s face was red, a snarl coming from his twisted face. He was coming at Laurent.  
Damen was ready to defend, but Laurent stopped him.  
“Oh please, watch where you throw those punches. We all know you can’t throw worth a shit anyways. But you might hit one of your own teammates by accident.”  
Footsteps paused.  
There was so much shade being thrown, no one even knew what to do. Laurent was on fire, and nobody, not even the original offender wanted to get any closer to the blaze.  
He backed off.  
“Good, now that the dog has been kicked. You guys listen up. If you’ve got a problem with me, come at me now. Because now is the only time I will take it.”  
No one moved.  
“Okay, now that’s settled. Get a grip on yourselves. You know your plays. You know what to do, what should go down. If you guys play as hard as you all did in practice, I’m willing to bet a victory.”  
The energy of the locker room that had once been looming was now floating. Electric, energetic, ready.  
“Just do what you’ve been doing, you’ll be fine. And trust your quarterback. If I recall, he kicked Veretian ass last year.”  
Cheers were going around, and preparation began again. The atmosphere was now livable again.  
Damen looked to Laurent, a strong urge to kiss him was inside him, pushing him closer.  
“You always know just what to do, don’t you?”  
“Not like you. But I’m learning my way.”  
Warm smiles exchanged. Damen tried to lean in to kiss him but was met with two fingers pressed to his lips to stop him.  
“Nuh-uh. You only get to kiss me when you bring me that trophy.”  
Damen smirked, opting to kiss the fingers instead, his hand eclipsing Laurent’s.  
“Deal.”  
Laurent left, and Damen went to rowdy up the team.  
It was time.

The crowds were roaring as the teams came out.  
But nothing compared to how strong the Lions came on in the first play. They were on the defense.  
A blocked throw, smacking the ball from the air after one powerful leap into the air.  
The crowd was going insane. Some people speculated they were coming out of the gate too strong. They would wear themselves too quickly. There was no way they could keep this up.  
Damen watched his defense destroy the Veretian Offense little by little. He could see that Auguste was getting frustrated, and it made him grin. Before the next play could begin, he subbed himself in for the Line back, wanting just a few words on the field with Auguste.  
“You’re not looking too good there, Bird boy.” Damen teased the 01 player that everyone knew was Auguste.  
The blonde (though it was difficult to discern by the helmet) turned and side grinned.  
“Oh, I’m doing just fine. We can’t get a ball past you, but neither will you. I’ll go home with a stalemate if it means you aren't taking that trophy.”  
Damen could only smirk.  
“Oh no, I’m not going anywhere without that trophy in my hands. Your brother desires it from me. So I'm bringing it to him.”  
“I’d like to see you try.”  
“You haven’t seen trying yet. We’re just warming up.”

The game lugged on.  
Half-time came and went, a wonderful performance by their color guard and cheerleaders had gotten the guys in a good mood. They were ready.  
Damen was...not feeling the greatest. He had a raging headache that came up just before the end of the 2nd quarter. But he tried to shake it off and get on with the game. Now just wasn’t the time for this. He was bringing his team a victory tonight.  
They played hard.  
Auguste hadn’t been kidding when he said they’d block every ball. So far, that’s how it’d been.  
Neither side had a single point on the score.  
It was looking like equal strength play, but Damen just wasn’t having it. The headache had made him irritable. So he decided to change it up. A huddle was called.  
“So, this is what we’re going to do.”  
The play was explained. No one had ever done such a play before, but they were willing for anything by now if they could at least get a score on the board before the time was up.  
Positions ready.  
And off.  
It was a bloody battle, but no one let up.  
A pass.  
Caught.  
Damen, once he had the ball, took off like a bullet, intent with every fiber of his being to get a touchdown. There was 5 seconds on the clock.  
He was sprinting hard.  
Timers were clicking.  
Auguste had gotten hot on his tail, catching up.  
Almost.  
Some else got in the way, but he knocked them away, barreling through.  
Number 01 was right on him.  
But no. Damen pushed harder, pulling away, his lungs burning.

He made it.  
He slammed the ball into the ground and threw his arms in the air, fists squeezing tight. He was breathing so heavily, vision just a little blurry. But none of that mattered. He brought them a victory, and the stadium was going wild.  
Coaches from his college, as well as some coming from professional teams, were standing in disbelief, staring at their timers.  
Damen had outrun one of the fastest college players in the state, even after connecting with an interceptor. And most of them knew that Damen had only just recovered from a hip flexor sprain.  
He should have never been allowed to play Quarterback again because it would have been inevitable to happen again.  
But there he was.  
Gatorade being dumped over him, then getting lifted by the team. The trophy was pushed into his hands by Nikandros.  
“You stupidly crazy fuck. Go kiss him.” He said with a grin.  
Damen’s head snapped to look off to where Nikandros was looking.  
Laurent was standing there on the field, a smile on his face. He was wearing Damen’s Lion’s Letterman jacket. It was far too big for him but kept him warm in the slightly chilly October air. He had a bouquet of sunflowers resting in his arms. His hair had a couple braids in it, unlike earlier.  
He was beautiful, and Damen could not stop from jogging over, sweeping him just under his rear, holding him in the arm.  
Laurent looked down at him, hands resting on Damen’s shoulders, the bouquet in his right hand.  
“You brought me a gold trophy.”  
“Of course,...I told you I would.”  
“You are honorable.”  
The blonde leaned down, their lips connecting gently. It may have been slow, small in every way, but that didn’t stop the team from shouting for joy.  
Maybe that Veretian wasn’t so bad after all. A good luck token to the team perhaps?  
Damen grinned up at Laurent when they parted.  
“We’re on the big screen. I’m sure they saw everything.”  
“Let them.”  
Another kiss before Laurent was let down.  
Damen was covered in sweat, but neither seemed to care.  
A speech was given and then they went back in for showers.  
Everyone had planned to go out for a celebratory dinner. But Damen declined. He wanted to spend every moment of this time with Laurent.  
The blonde sat there with him at the ice bath in the locker rooms, and the look he was giving him was giving him goosebumps.  
“How shall we celebrate?” Damen asked Laurent, a grin on his face, the little dimple on his cheek dipping in just a bit more than usual. He was so happy.  
“Whatever you’d like. It’s your night.”  
Damen recalled saying those exact words just the night before.  
“Anything, so long as it’s with you.”  
“Done.”

After cleaning up, Damen and Laurent parted from the team.  
The blonde had parted from Damen’s Letterman to let him wear it and was now wearing one of the brunette’s hoodies. It sat on him like a short dress would, but Laurent pulled it off so well, especially with those black workout pants he’d decided to wear today.  
They wandered the campus, Damen’s arm around the smaller shoulders. Laurent’s was around the taller’s lower back, hand resting in the back pocket of his jeans.  
They looked like the perfect couple, just wandering around, cuddled close.  
“You were amazing today. I actually got up out of my seat to scream for you. I can’t believe you outran Auguste…”  
Damen couldn’t believe it either. He should have never been able to run like that again. The sprain he had, had been bad. And even when he did try before, he’d never been able to catch back up to his former speed. He was sure he’d be done for.  
“Yeah, no kidding. I don’t know what’s gotten into me...Maybe it’s you. I wanted that gold for you. Not a downed Quarterback, or a formerly sprained hip flexor, or even your brother was going to stop me from kissing you. I had two golden trophies in my hands today.”  
Laurent smiled.  
“You’re my gold trophy. I’m bringing home the coming-back, record-breaking speedy Quarterback of the Akielon Lions.”  
Damen blushed, grinning as he looked at the ground.  
“You’re bringing me home...what are you going to do when you get me there.”  
“I’m going to pull off the wrapping and polish you up.”  
Deep flushing was luckily hidden by the darkness of the campus. But he could also feel his pants start getting a little bit uncomfortable, and he just wanted them off.  
“Laurie…”  
Damen gulped, realized he’d called Laurent by the dumb nickname everyone on the team had begun calling him.  
“Yes?”  
And surprisingly, he wasn’t bothered by it.  
“I... I know we’ve gone over this, but I want to make it official.”  
They’d both stopped walking and Damen had turned to face the blonde, holding small, delicate hands in his own calloused ones. Laurent had his head cocked to the side a bit, the locks of hair that had been resting on his left shoulder fell to his back.  
He looked beautiful with braids.  
Reach back to the bouquet that was sticking out of his backpack, he pulled a sunflower, making sure to get just enough stem. He tucked back a bit of Laurent’s hair behind his ear and tucked the flower there. Stunning.  
“Laurent, in these past 3 months, my life has changed so much. Unlike how I ever would have imagined it could change. You have been the highlight of my life. The sun in my sky. I want nothing but to be right here with you, every day, for as long as I can be. Nothing can sway me away from you. You’re all I think about in every waking moment.”  
His hand left Laurent’s again, reaching into his jacket pocket. He found the little box that he’d slipped in there before they left the locker rooms.  
“I want you to be my boyfriend. My everything. And I swear to you, I’ll give you every ounce of my love, in your lightest and darkest hours. And when you see this, I want it to be a reminder of how much I love you.”  
He flipped it open with a thumb, presenting it on his palm.  
Inside, on satin and velvet cushioning, was a beautiful teardrop Sapphire, a speck of gold just in the center of it. The chain was thing and gold as well.  
Laurent’s eyes grew wide, his lips opening as he took a sharp inhale.  
“I... Damen...Oh my god. This must’ve cost you a fortune. How…” He looks from the jewelry to Damen, staring him in the eyes with his own star-struck blues.  
“It doesn’t matter. It was worth every little bit. Do you like it?” He asked the last part almost shyly. He remembered staring into that pawn shop like a hungry dog. The jewel then had a large, far more expensive chain. But he’d luckily been able to trade it out for something smaller and cheaper.  
“Like it? I love it. I just...I can’t believe you bought this for me.”  
Laurent, despite the life he grew up living in, had never really been showered with gifts like this. His parents gave him things, but it never felt like much thought had gone into it. And of course, his former ‘boyfriend’ never really cared enough to get him something like this. He knew Damen had put every ounce of thought into this. He looked at this piece, picked it out with only him in mind. No matter the price it had been. It made Laurent want to cry, but he wouldn’t.  
“You mean the world to me. I wanted something that could be tangible to show for it. I couldn’t get it out of my head just how nice it would have looked on your neck.”  
God, don’t cry now Laurent.  
“Put it on me.”  
Laurent turned around, moving his hair to the side as Damen pulled the piece out of the box. Very gently, it was brought around his neck and latched at the back. The blonde pressed a find on the little jewel that was just barely larger than his pinky nail.  
He turned back to face Damen.  
“You look stunning.”  
A small blush and a smile.  
“God, you selfless dork. This was your night, and you still somehow make it about me.”  
“What can I say. Everything that has to do with me now has to do with you.”  
“You’re so sappy. I love it. Let’s get back. My feet are freezing, and I just want to show you just how much I love you.”  
Damen definitely couldn’t say no to that.

They got back, and Laurent went straight for the bathroom. Damen chuckled quietly, shaking his head as he went to lay down on his bed for a bit. He pulled his jacket and shirt off before laying down, just in his jeans and timberlands.  
What a night.  
He was just checking his phone, looking at his social feeds when he heard the bathroom door open. He got a whiff of vanilla, which was really caught his attention, so he glanced over. Laurent was leaning on the door frame wearing a thin silk robe. The braids and flower were still in his hair, the necklace still on, the little jewel resting on a bare neck now.  
“Anything good on Facebook? Perhaps a statement from my brother about how he was not happy about losing, but it was a well-deserved victory.”  
That sounded like something Auguste would have said. Laurent knew him too well.  
“Just videos of screaming fans.”  
“Hm…” He pushes off the frame and walks over. The robe was short, barely covering down to his mid-thigh. Smooth legs were barren of any other fabrics, just was his slightly exposed chest.  
“They must all be out partying. How fun. We’ll have our own party here.” The blonde climbs onto the bed, slowly crawling until he was straddling his boyfriend, hands placed firmly on either side of his head. Blue eyes were staring him down lustfully, undressing and violating him.  
Damen’s heart was pumping fast, his body feeling hot.  
“Play our song.” Laurent says quietly, his lips barely moving. They looked glossy, probably from a lip balm.  
Laurent smelled greatly of vanilla, something he knew Damen absolutely loved the smell of. His lips were glossy, making them look plumper than usual, and it was driving the brunette crazy. Planned. The hair, the flower, the jewel.  
Damen felt as though he were dreaming. How could he have come to be so lucky to be loved by this angel.  
He mindlessly looked on his phone for the song. He clicked play then dropped it off to the side. Laurent reached over, pressing the repeat button before looking back to his lover.  
The song was hardly a love song, but it had a lovely beat to it, rhythmic. And the most important part, it had been playing the first time they had been together intimately. They played it on repeat all that night, over and over, even when they’d come back to the dorms. They fell asleep to it playing, and it only hadn’t been playing that morning because Damen’s phone had died at some point in the morning.  
“Pull it.” He says, looking over him still lustfully, but expectantly.  
Damen knew what he meant, and gripped the sash tied at the smaller waist, pulling it until undone. The robe fell open.  
Laurent wasn’t wearing anything underneath, except for a thin, plain gold belt at his waist. It was slightly loose, hanging down from his body. His navel piercing was that of a small gold pendant. And if any further inspection was made, it would be seen to be a small golden lion head. His pink nipples also had golden spike rods in them. His other piercings were not yet visible, but one could guess they were of a similar theme.  
Damen was feeling lightheaded, convinced most of the blood in his body was now in his dick. Laurent was so gorgeous, sexy enough to bring him to his knees had he been standing.  
“You must be a god.” Damen commented dreamily.  
“Will you worship me…”  
“Every day.”  
Their lips connected almost immediately, kissing as if they had not seen each other in years. Eager and young with lust.  
Laurent had rested his full body on Damen’s now, chest to chest as they kissed. The metal, Damen noted in the back of his head, was warm from Laurent, but very much there. It brought about something of a medieval feel to them.  
Like they were 14th-century lovers, laying in the comfort of a cabin deep in the woods, unbothered by any prying eyes. They could love and make love as they pleased. His lover liked gold and would keep a golden chain around his waist when they made love. The sounds of slapping skin and a small jingling chain among moans.  
Damen’s hands rested just below his loves ribcage, slowly making way down tight sides and back till they rested on a firm, round rear. He kneaded the thick plumpness that was his lover’s ass, creating slow moans from the owner.  
Without thinking, he lifted a hand an inch before bringing it back down, smacking the creamy skin, eliciting an unexpected groan.  
Damen tried to pull away to apologize, but Laurent wouldn’t allow him, now kissing him more passionately than before. He had liked it and only pulled away from his boyfriend’s lips to tell him to do it again.  
Another slap, the roundness jiggling a bit under his hand. A quiet cry of pleasure. It felt good.  
“More…” He moaned, laying his head on Damen’s chest. The was no hesitation in complying, smacking it again and again, then trading off for the other cheek.  
By the time Laurent decided to sit up, his ass was bright red and raw, which he seemed rather proud of. Slithering his way down Damen’s body, he stopped so he was sitting on the larger male’s knees, hands working at the button and zipper of his pants. Lifting his hips, he helped to push down his pants and boxers, then let Laurent do the rest. The other untied his boots hastily, pulling them off and tossing them elsewhere before pulling off his pants completely.  
The silk robe joined the pile of clothes before Laurent climbed back on top of him.  
“What have you always wanted to do but was never sure about asking someone else.” He suddenly asked, kind of surprising Damen.  
“Oh...well um. Hmm…” After a little thought, he concluded and blushed immediately.  
“I... I’ve always wanted to eat out...an ass...and 69. But yeah...I…”  
Laurent raised a brow and smirked.  
“So, it’d be your first time doing so?”  
Damen nodded.  
“Then tonight, it’ll be a first for both of us.”  
Not another word was said before Laurent was turning around backing up to Damen’s face. Damen didn’t even try to stop him. He was entirely distracted by a crystal rose squeezed between his boyfriend’s pale ass cheeks. He didn’t even need to finish his thought on wondering what it was. Because he knew, and he was feeling far too hot down below now.  
Relaxing, he watched Laurent park his lower half just over his face, pink cock and balls hanging over him.He was right, the white Prince Albert ring had been replaced by a gold bar, and it had him feeling wheezy. He reached his arms, wrapping them around Laurent’s hips and waist, pulling him down, his mouth open to take the blushed appendage in, piercing and all.  
The blonde shivered and moaned lowly.  
A minute passed, Laurent just getting over his daze of how good Damen was with his dick in his mouth.  
He looked to his task at hand. He was not new to sucking dick, but Damen was very much larger than his ex. Far, far larger. He wondered if he was going to be able to fit that thing anywhere in him.  
The thought had him squeezing the glass dildo in him, and another shiver made its way down his body.  
He was nervous and excited all the same.  
Learning down and using the hand that wasn’t supporting him to hold the massive appendage up, he licked the tip gently, swiping away a small bead of precum. The cock twitched greatly, enough he had to tighten his grip a little to not lose it. Laurent was impressed by how powerful it was. He wanted this great cock in him, controlling him, fucking him, filling him.  
Another lick, then he took the tip into his mouth, careful not bite as he swirled his tongue under the rim. His mouth was already opened so wide, but even as he was slipping down more, it only seemed to get wider around. When he finally got to where the tip was touching his throat, his mouth was completely filled.  
He worked with what he could, bobbing on him as best he could, sucking and licking. Eventually had to lift off to get air.  
His heart was racing, but he didn’t stop, leaning further down to kiss the base, then all the up to the tip. Tongue out, sliding slowly, intimately around the rim and over the slit. Damen was having a hard time keeping himself together, and Laurent could feel it. It was taking a lot for the other not buck his hips, hips straining hard to stay on the bed.  
Laurent adjusts slightly, holding himself up using only the strength of his legs and abs, his now free hand sliding over Damen’s thick thigh. Starting from the outside, sliding down, coming back up on the inner side. In and out of the crease between leg and crotch. Pale hands gripped a massive scrotum, barely able to contain the sack at all in one hand.  
Laurent was growing needier by the second, and when he felt a slight twinge where the glass was buried between his ass, he let out of a surprised moan. Damen was messing with it. And when the male finally got a grip on it, he felt it slowly sliding out of him, then back in.  
Laurent tried to retain himself, focusing on sucking on his lover’s tip again. But Damen just wasn’t having it. The dildo slid out again, almost completely, then forced back in, timed with a deep-throated vibration around a pink cock. Laurent lifted his head off the cock and threw his head back, crying out in pleasure.  
Fucking Damen, knowing just how to get him.  
It happened again, a smack on the ass joining it.  
Laurent whimpered, letting his head hang low.  
“Oh god, fuck me…” He whined quietly, but loud enough for Damen to hear.  
The dildo was sliding in and out of him rhythmically now, like a glass lover fucking him while his boyfriend sucked him dry.  
Laurent had completely abandoned Damen’s cock now, unable to even think straight. Just what Damen had wanted.  
It all ended with the dildo sliding completely out of him. Damen dropped it somewhere to the side before lifting Laurent off him.  
The larger sat up, getting Laurent to lay on his back between his legs.  
With an effortless heave, he pulled Laurent’s lower half up to his chest. The blonde was so dazed and turned around, he hadn’t realized what was happened until it was happening. Damen buried his face between creamy cheeks, and began licking, kissing and practically making out with his ass.  
Laurent let out a low groan, eyes slipping closed. He’d never had his ass eaten before, and he already knew he liked it. Damen, despite never having done it before, was damn good at it.  
By the time the brunette was finished, his cheeks were wet with saliva, and Laurent was an absolute hot mess.  
That usually cool tone body was now flushed pink and red from affections.  
Sitting up, mouths connected, passion and love flowing freely. Cocks touched between them, and neither could get enough.  
When they finally parted, they looked through half-lidded, loving eyes.  
“I want you in me...I want to feel you.”  
Damen needn’t say anything, laying Laurent down gently on the sheets, kissing his face, neck, then chest. A peck on each nipple. A lick over each little muscle down to jutting hip bones, leaving a loving kiss on both. He nuzzled his lover's taut stomach, loving the feel of the soft hairs there tickling his cheek.  
His hands replaced his lips when he came back, sliding over delicate skin, leaving goosebumps and tingles in their wake.  
Laurent let out little peeps of pleasure here and there, feeling the love of his boyfriend's touches.  
One strong hand eventually found its way under a milky thigh, lifting it up until the connecting calf resting on a dark shoulder. Then the other.  
They stared lovingly into each other’s eyes, desperation and need for each other was in the air.  
Gently, Damen began prodding himself against, Laurent’s entrance. He was prepared, but neither knew if Laurent really would be able to take him entirely today.  
There was only one way to find out.  
A press against him, and slowly it began to give way. A little more coaxing was needed before the tip was allowed completely in. Damen didn’t move any further until he got a nod from Laurent.  
Gradually, the blonde took him, and after what felt like an eternity, he was completely inside.  
“You’re in me.” Laurent breaths out, his cheeks flushed, lips parted. His golden hair was splayed around him, the flower somehow still in his hair, holding strong over top his ear. The sapphire sat perfectly on his neck.  
“I’m in you...We’re connected…”  
They didn’t move, another kiss, and then another before anything began to progress. Slow movements of the hips already had Laurent gripping Damen, eyes squeezed tightly. He made sure the other was alright before continuing.  
Moans replaced his twisted face after a while. The pace remained slow, loving and affectionate. Damen could not get enough of Laurent. The way he looked while he made love to him would be forever engraved in his mind. Both were sweaty, their bodies hot, but perky with need.  
“Damen…” Laurent whimpered, his nails digging into a thick back, scratching up the skin.  
It didn’t take much for Laurent, Damen having only just taken his cock into his hand and stroking it. That with the slow loving of his oversized boyfriend had pushed him over the edge. His back arched, a low groan and whimper as he passed over his orgasm.  
The squeeze around him followed with a beautiful orgasm played out in front of him had Damen coming right after him.  
Damen leaned over, resting a little of his weight on Laurent, spent from their time together making love.  
A half minute passed before Damen lifted himself again, looking over his lover’s beautiful naked body, loving every little curve, and the wet spots covering his stomach.  
“I love you.”  
“I love you more.”  
“I love you most.”  
“Sap…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm starting a new CaPri story, so for updates for this may be every other day instead of every day!  
> Comment! Give me love!
> 
> Another note: I know there was something else i wanted to say, but I currently cannot remember it. Hopefully i remember it....and hopefully it was not entirely too important....


	11. Warm Home Greetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who knew his boyfriend was a legit prince in a castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S CHRISTMAS IN FEBRUARY!  
> Haha, eeyy mah peeps. I've returned. We're going through the holidays now, kinda sorta for the next two chapters, then perhaps we'll be caught up to where we currently are in our time and space. Maybe.  
> Anyways, I fucking love horses, always have, always will. But I have never actually ridden one on my own. OAO Sad I know. So I guess I'm just living a sort of fantasy with this chapter. Because come on...horses!  
> So enjoy, comment, let me know how much you guys love horses too! And maybe how much you love Damen and...*squints* Bitchass.   
> I kid. I love Laurent the most. <3 Ta-ta for now~

The semester was playing out smoothly for the two of them. Damen for once had something higher than a just barely passing grade in his English class thanks to Laurent. And as for Laurent, he had someone there to read over his work and usually tell him how good it is, except for that bit right there.   
After that night together, they were doing it every night. Usually, it would play out after just finishing their homework. They had their beds pushed together now just under the huge window that overlooked campus. Damen would finish a bit of his essay for the week, and Laurent would be reading. The brunette would begin to tease. Then a tickle fight would break out, which lead to kisses where they could hardly breathe from the tickles. Kisses to hickeys. And it’d go from there.  
Every night.  
Of course, tonight had been no different, even if Damen hadn’t gotten to finish the draft that he was supposed to turn in in the morning. It lay on the floor in a papery mess while he lay there in bed, spooning his blonde lover. He was still inside him, just recently spent. Laurent had his upper body twisted halfway over, Damen leaning over the rest of the way.   
Slow, loud kisses were being shared, their eyes open and watching the other. Their gaze never parted, even when their lips did.  
“Vacation is next week...What are you doing? Going home?” Damen asked, his hand gently sliding over soft, pale skin. Little goosebumps rose from the stimulation, Laurent resting his head on the pillow, just enjoying the attention.  
“Yes...I was going to ask you the same. My father asked about it...he said if you...wanted to join us for the break, he would be glad to have you.”  
Damen raised his brows at the invitation. He thought after kicking his team's ass, he would never want to see him again unless he had to. But he was invited for Christmas vacation.  
“Well, my dad decided to go on a well-deserved vacation as well...back to our home roots of Greece. Kastor won’t be home then.” He was starting to think of the convenience of this. Then again, maybe this was a curse. He was going to be staying with Laurent in his parent’s place. They were loaded. It was going to be all kinds of fancy going on there. And he’d have to keep up. Fuck.  
“So…”  
“I’ll go if you want me to. I’d love to.”  
This had Laurent giving him that tired little smile that made Damen want to just want to kiss him all over and give him the entire world. He was so beautiful.  
“Great. I’ll let him know in the morning…If I’ll even be able to get up in the morning.”  
Damen blinked, realizing what he meant. He was hard again, pressing up against the blondes rear still.  
“One missed first period coming right up.”  
“Mm, fuck me good. I want to try it rough.”

That week passed without hitch or trouble. The weekend was one they had for themselves, so they stayed in the dorms, keeping warm with each others heat. But when the weekend passed, Monday, they loaded up Laurent’s car to head to the city of Vere. Laurent had Damen drive, seeming to like it more that way. He points out the directions, having them get off the freeway early, which Damen realized they were going to the outskirts of the city. They lived in the country, and this had Damen already regretting life. Their house out here would have no boundaries of how big it would be.   
And he was right when they pulled up to the gates, which were already opening when they arrived.  
“Is it too late to turn back now…” Damen said aloud, as he stared at the open grass area with a few littered trees.  
“Don't be nervous. It’s fine. We’re not that prim and proper. If we were, I’d have no doubt in my mind that my father would have us leave the car here and take a horse and carriage the rest of the way.”  
Damen snorted, grinning just the slightest as he drove off down the path. It would be fine. He had to remember that Auguste was a part of the household. That guy may have been a knight in shining armor, but he was no snooty aristocrat. Anything but really.   
Laurent could have pulled that off however...if he wasn’t leaning almost all the way back in the reclined seat.   
When they arrived at the house, driving into the curved driveway that lead to the steps, Damen could not help but let his jaw drop.  
“What in the actual fuck. You guys live in a god damn castle.”  
“Literally.”  
The place was made of a whitish stone, with towers and all. It had to have been well over 300 years old, if not older. There was dead ivy crawling all up the sides of the stone, covering a good part of it.  
The little bit of snow around made it all look that much more surreal.  
“You really are a prince. I’m just...speechless.”  
“You’re talking.”  
Damen looked at him, giving an unamused look.   
The car had come to a stop at the steps, Laurent telling him to leave it running. So, he put it in park and got out with the other. A valet came out and got into the car, waiting for the bags to be removed before driving off to park in the garages.   
Damen felt so naked standing there in front of that massive house. But when he felt Laurent saddle up to his side, he felt a bit better. The blonde lead the way inside, the doors opening for them.   
The inside was just as gorgeous, but also just as gaudy. It seemed the Vere colors were an ongoing theme for this family. Then again, their family name was intertwined deeply with the Vere history. So, it made sense to see all the blue runway carpets and tapestries. African blackwood tables with white running clothes with intricate gold pieces upon them.   
The most interesting piece however was the suit of white and gold filigree armor that stood there in the entryway, as if watching the door. It was not particularly big but looked as if it would fit a normal sized man. It had dark blue silks where there were armor openings, giving it an almost alive sort of feeling. It had no helmet however, just a wire mannequin head holding a golden crown. The armor had lots dents and dings in it, and Damen could help but wonder if it was authentic.  
His attention was pulled though when Auguste came down the grand stairs, the wood most likely a new addition, for safety reasons.  
“Hey hey! Look who it is! The happy couple, coming to spend the holidays at our humble abode.”  
“Humble? I wouldn’t call this humble.” Damen commented, still looking around.  
“Thank god, someone else agrees with me. It’s gaudy isn’t it?” Auguste’s grin was like that of the sun, bright and warm. There was really no other way to describe Auguste. He was like a sun god.  
“Gaudy but it’s home.” Came a voice from up the stairs. And who but Aleron Richelieu was making his way down, dressed in a fine suit, a coat of fur overtop. And beside him was a lovely lady in a gorgeous shimmering dress, her hair as golden as Auguste’s, face as beautiful as Laurent’s. He could see where these two got their true beauty from now. Their own mother, Hennike Richelieu.  
“Sir.” Damen greeted with an authentic smile, trying not to freak out by the fact that Laurent had yet to let his arm go. They had not told Laurent’s parents of their relationship.  
“Damen, I’m glad to see you could make it here for the holidays. I hope it is not impeding with your parents.”  
“No sir, my dad is away in Greece, and my brother is off doing his own holidays this year. I was all free.” He says, his smile never leaving him. It was surprising still that Aleron had even wanted him here.  
The blonde man with the fine facial features nodded, and Hennike decided to speak up. “We are very happy to have you. That dinner after Laurent’s musical was very delightful with you there. We expect as much from you. You are very charming, and I can see why my son is so taken by you.”  
Damen blushed almost immediately, not daring to look at Laurent. But of course, the cheeky little bastard had to just snuggle up even more to his side. “Mother, you’re embarrassing him. Are you two leaving? Where to?”  
“Oh, the Brentlines invited us to dinner at their Chateau. And then we are going to walk the Christmas lane they have set up. We always hear its rather nice, so we are finally going to go this year.” Aleron spoke, eying the two before him. It was no mistake at all, he knew these two were likely together, but he said nothing. At least not yet.  
“Ah, I see. Well, have fun. We’ll behave. I’ll just be showing Damen around. With Auguste.” He added, trying to make a point.  
With that, his parents left, and they were ‘alone.’  
“We aren’t bringing Auguste are we.”  
“Haaa nope. He’s not clean either. He’s going out with some girl. So pretty much, we have the place to ourselves.”  
“Great.”  
“Great indeed. Have you ever ridden a horse?”  
Damen blinked a the question. Horses?  
“Uhhhh…”

Laurent had drug his boyfriend out back, past the patios and gardens to the stables. The stables were also of the same kind of stone as the Chateau they lived in, with newer wood no doubt to support the roofing.  
The inside was warm and smelled greatly of hay and horses. It was a welcome sent, even if Damen was not entirely familiar with it. Laurent looked greatly at ease here, like it was a second home to him. He headed for a specific stall, pulling it open and walking in. Damen walked hesitantly over, looking through the bars. The horse inside was huge, standing far taller than Damen, but was also very good looking. He was black in color with a gray mane and salt n peppered tail, his hooves feathered with gray hairs.   
And as burly as the horse was, he was very gentle with Laurent as he pet him. Small, pale hands slid up the dark furs of the horse’s head, petting its forehead.   
The blonde was whispering to the horse, talking to it like a good friend to shared secrets with. When Damen came to a stop at the door, Laurent turned and waved for him to come over.  
“He doesn’t bite. Introduce yourself. This is Sir Spercheus. One of the world’s finest Percheron drafts. And he will be your ride.” Damen stepped forward, not being entirely too familiar with horses. Sure, he’d worked around them before at this old ranch he used to work on. But never with them.  
Laurent took his hand, placing it on the stallions nose softly. Damen slowly slid up the horse’s head, as he saw Laurent doing before, then lifted his other hand to pat the side. The horse was calm, looking at him with dark eyes.   
“Hello Spercheus. I’m Damen. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He says with a smile and a bit of a chuckle at how ridiculous this was. But it seemed to please Laurent, because he left out of the stall, leaving them alone. Damen continued, getting familiar with the horse, rubbing along his sides and flank before returning to his head.  
“You’re rather well behaved, aren’t you?”  
The horse blinked, making a small noise, causing Damen to smile.  
“Grab his halter and bring him out.” Laurent said from somewhere outside of the stall, to which Damen complied. He gripped the bottom of the halter where it was most loose and began to lead the horse out. There was no resistance.   
He saw Laurent up next to one of the most beautiful horses he’d ever seen. A white Friesian filly, her coat pure and finely groomed. Her mane and tail were long and wavy, brushed perfectly. Her body was in perfect shape.  
“Wow…” Damen said as he came up next to Laurent.  
“You like her? She’s my show horse. She’s brought me many ribbons and trophies in our time together.” Laurent explained as he picked up the bridle he had set aside.  
“She’s beautiful.”  
“Have you ever put a bridle on?”  
A shake of the head.  
“Okay watch and or follow.” The blonde demonstrated putting it on after removing the halter, Damen following, looking over often to make sure he did it right. And when the halters were secured, they did the same with the saddles.  
Once all finished, they led the two horses out to the gravel.  
“Okay, I’m going to guess you've never gotten on a horse. So, watch. Face the horse. Put your left foot in the stirrup. Yes, your left foot, don't give me that look, unless you want to ride backwards. Then when its secure, pull yourself up and swing your right leg over. Ready? Go.”  
Laurent waited, watching his boyfriend at his first attempt on getting up.  
His foot hadn’t been secure in the stirrup, so he fell.  
“Try again.”  
Foot in stirrup, securely this time. Lift up, over. Success! For only a second. He had swung too fast and couldn’t find the other stirrup in time to stop himself. He fell over the other side into a heap.  
“Ow….”  
A sigh.  
“Again…”  
Four more tries later, and Damen was finally in the saddle, securely, with no chance of slipping, falling or flipping the saddle...somehow.  
“Okay, now that you’re finally on the horse.” Laurent said as he swung himself easily onto his horse with no problems at all.  
“Let’s go over actually riding.”  
Laurent explained to him the in’s and out’s of riding, even demonstrating them in the area before them. When Damen felt ready, they took off.  
At all the blazing speed of a walk.  
Damen was flipping out.  
Why was the saddle moving so much.   
WHY WAS HE MOVING SO MUCH.  
SLOW THEFUCK DOWN.  
Laurent was cracking up dying on his own horse, his body leaned forward on his saddle, face burying in the filly’s mane.  
“Damen...Da--...Damen calm down. It supposed to be like that. Oh my god, stop being a baby. Stop screaming, my parents might hear us from here.”  
Damen was going apeshit, trying to keep hold on the saddle and the reins.  
“Oh my god, why did I agree to this. This is way higher than any person should be. Fuck my life. I’m going to die. This is it. This is how I go. Death by horse.”  
Laurent was red in the face by the time Damen finally calmed down, his voice raspy and wheezing from laughing so much.  
“It’s not so bad now, is it?”  
“Not after you get over the unbelievable amount of movement there is on a secure saddle….” Damen groaned, looking still just a bit uneasy.  
“You’ll get used to it.”

They rode for a long while, Damen eventually relaxing and having a little fun. It wasn’t quite dark yet, and Damen decided to ask about Laurent’s horse experience.  
“Oh, well I’ve done dressage, steeple chasing, show jumping, and my most favorite, cross-country.”  
Damen was impressed. Laurent had to be exceptional with horses to be doing all of that. And from what he heard, to get all those trophies and ribbons.  
“That’s incredible. And here you are, dealing with me being unable to even getting on the horse in the first place.”  
“Auguste was like that. It took him a good minute to even get on the horse. But with some time and practice, he got it. He does Polo like a champ. He’s only been riding for like…hmm 4 years now? It could be the same for you. You just need some time and practice really.”  
That was a bit comforting to say the least. It meant he had not been the only one to make fool of himself.  
“Well, we’ve got 2 weeks here, and I’ve got the motivation.”  
“Alright then. Your ass is going to be more sore than mine in the morning.”  
“I take that as a challenge.”  
“Good.”


	12. And A Merry Christmas To All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all had started out so good. How did it come out to this?

Laurent had not lied. His ass was sore as hell from sitting in that saddle, and he was sure he’d have a bit of a leg bow when they left. That was okay though. Because that challenge had also not been just words spewed. Laurent was struggling to hide his slight limp and lovestruck smirk the next day.  
The week passed, days spent on the horses. Laurent had ridden all his horses by now, and Damen had ridden Spercheus, and another horse, a Friesian named Tally-ho. The brunette had asked him to show him some of his moves each day on his specialty horses, which Laurent had gladly gotten dressed up for and rode each course. His favorite, however, was the last one Laurent had shown him. It was only the last because Damen had to get used to being on a horse and to be able to handle a canter, which by the way, he picked up quickly to Laurent’s surprise.  
It had been Laurent’s favorite as well. Cross country jumping. The way the blonde flew over each rugged jump on that perfect gray stallion, he felt like he was falling harder by the second. Both enjoyed the canters through the forests inside of the Richelieu property, crossing creeks and through thick brush. Damen never wanted this to end. He never wanted to leave this life with Laurent.   
But at the end of the week, the Christmas Eve dinner was set. Damen found out far too late how many people were going to be attending. The dining room was already enormous but only seemed to get worse when they replaced the smaller table that seated the 5 of them for another. A massive table to seat 30. Damen felt light-headed as he sat there on Laurent’s bed, half dressed in his dress pants and unbuttoned white shirt.  
“I didn’t know everyone, and their mother was attending…” Damen groaned, falling back on the plush bed, sighing as he stared at the wood ceiling.  
“Didn’t know it would affect you so badly. Are you shy? I didn’t take you for that, seeing all of your buddies.”  
“I’m not shy...I just...This is your family. What if I’m not good enough. They’ll talk trash to your dad, then he won’t like me anymore, and I’ll be booted.” He was purposely being dramatic, but still, it’s what was running through his mind.  
Laurent stopped what he was doing, which was picking out which turtleneck he wanted to wear, dropped the articles of clothing, and walked to the bed side. He leaned over, resting a hand on the bed as he looked down at Damen’s face.  
“You’re being a whine baby.” He says with a little smile. “You’ll be good enough. If not them, then to me. I’m the one that has to put up with you. Not my dad. Or my aunt. Or my aunt’s step brother’s dad.”  
“Your what?”  
“Exactly. So, get over it. You are mine. And you are perfect to me. Kiss.”  
“But…”  
“Kiss.”  
Damen leaned up and kissed his beautiful boyfriend, smiling after. He felt a bit better now.  
“Okay, now that it’s settled, help me pick a color. Did you choose a vest color yet? I don’t know if I want to wear green or black. I feel like I’d look like I’m going to a funeral in the black, but it looks so good. Makes me all nice and slim.”  
“What are you talking about slim. You’re slim regardless, you fruitcake.” Damen laughs, sitting up now as he watches the other pick through his clothing.  
“Oh my god, fruitcake...we HAVE to eat some tonight at the end of dinner...it’s tradition. Okay, no green or red... or brown. I will puke seeing those colors on myself after eating that.”  
Damen and Laurent looked at each other before making a gagging sound in unison.  
“Just put the black one on.”  
“And white pants instead of black?”  
“Yeah, that sounds good.”  
Laurent unbuckled his belt, then unbuttoned the pants, letting them slide down his waist and stop just at the curve of his perfectly rounded rear. Damen looked directly at the only indication of underwear, which was a red triangle just above the groove of his ass. Thin black lace traced around high on his hips to his front. Dame couldn’t help but wonder what was on the front.  
His thoughts were halted when the other bent over to pull up the other pair of pants, giving him a delicious, but quick view of the string of the thong wedged up high.  
Damen licked his lips, and in time, Laurent had pulled up his pants and turned to see the action.  
“You look at me like a juicy steak.”  
Damen groaned, a little smirk on his face, “Because you are...your ass is so fine, I can’t get over it…”  
Laurent rolled his eyes.  
“Your pants seem to have set up tent and are having a party.” He says, pointing out the bulge growing in his boyfriend’s pants.  
“...this is totally your fault.”  
“Mine? Oh, how could I be so lewd.”  
“You’re an incubus with those looks. Come eat me now. I’m under your spell.”  
Laurent gave him a thoughtful look before coming over and dropping to his knees in front of him. And with trained fingers, he pulled down the zipper, push away underwear and pulled his boyfriend's massive dick out. Not even a second thought went into it before his mouth was on the head, teasing him.  
Damen jerked slightly in shock, not having expected it so suddenly. But his hand came to rest in blond locks, encouraging him.  
“God, you are too hot for your own good…” He groaned, eyes fluttering when the other took him deep. This went on for a good few minutes before a knock at the door startled mostly Damen. Laurent never lifted off his cock, still sucking it like one would with a candy cane, the head visibly jutting through his cheek lewdly. It seemed Damen was being forced to talk.  
“Yes?” He called, trying not to sound like a pubescent teen with a cracking voice. Laurent gave him a thumb up, to which he rolled his eyes at.  
“Everyone is here, and dinner is just about ready. Are you two ready or not?” It was Auguste.  
“Oh, yeah, Laurent is just having a slight crisis with color coordinating. We’ll be right--...nn….out.” Laurent had bitten him gently, causing him to lose his wording a bit.  
“Uuuhh. Okay then.” came the confused muffled reply.  
Then another came up.  
“Are they almost ready? People are asking for Laurent.” His mother. Oh god, his fucking mother was right outside the door. Was it even locked?  
Laurent did not let up, not even at the thought that his brother and mother could come barging in at any moment.  
“Laurent’s trying to color coordinate their clothes.”  
“Oh, I can help if you’d like dear?”  
The door handle moved, Damen gripping Laurent’s hair a bit. And just in time, the blonde lifted his head off his boyfriend, mouth ringed with saliva, a little bit dribbling down his chin, a string attaching him to the appendage he left.  
“No mother, it’s okay. I’ve got it now. Go on back downstairs. We’ll be right there.” Hot, sex-filled eyes stared up at Damen. With a gentle blow of hot air on Damen’s cock, the male was thrown over the edge, coming onto himself and over his boyfriends face.  
“Alright. Don’t take too long, the guests are waiting for you.”  
“Okay.” He said before licking his lips of the cum on them.  
Everyone outside the door had left, and Damen was laying on the bed, spent and a bit dirty now.  
“There, problem solved. Now let's get this sweater vest on you to hide this little lewd act of yours.” Laurent tossed the black sweater vest to the larger male as he went to pick back up where he was in choosing a turtleneck to wear.  
Damen never felt more in love and bothered.

They had indeed color coordinated. Damen in his black pants, white button up and black sweater vest. And Laurent in a black turtleneck and white pants. Both of their dress shoes were blue, just as a splash of color. The blonde had the necklace that Damen had given him on, the chain tucked just under the fold of the turtleneck so the sapphire was the only thing to hang out.  
Pale skin had been cleaned of any lewd acts, so he looked fresh and gorgeous.  
As soon as they came downstairs, Damen and Laurent’s arms joined and locked together, they were bombarded by guests. People that knew Laurent for what seemed like forever.  
The blonde talked easily, a gentle smile on his face. Damen thanked god that dinner was called before he himself could be dragged into the conversation.  
The seating arrangement had him sitting near the head of the table. Laurent’s father and mother sat at the head, August on the side next to his father, him and Laurent on Hennike’s side, Laurent beside his mother. And him beside the blonde.  
Someone with brownish hair and brilliant blue eyes sat beside him. He didn’t look like he was any old than 13, maybe younger. He wondered who he was for only second before a glare in his direction from the kid sent him looking elsewhere.  
He saw the uncle sitting beside Auguste, sticking out like a sore thumb with his dark hair and strange beard. Auguste didn’t seem too bothered him, except for the slight tension in his right shoulder, which was where the man was closest to.  
The rest of the family was in some shade of blonde of very light-colored brown with pale or fair skin. Damen realized he probably also stuck out quite a bit. He was bigger than Auguste was, with olive skin and dark brown hair. But it seemed no one paid him much mind.   
Laurent’s hand came to take Damen’s under the table, resting them on the latter’s thigh. Small smiles were exchanged.  
“Relax.” The blonde whispered to him after a leaning in a bit. He hadn’t even realized that his shoulders had grown tense. His slumped down just enough to look relaxed. But he just couldn’t shake the knot in his stomach.  
There were three empty seats.  
And as soon as Damen had taken note of it, the sound of the front door opening and closing could be heard throughout the large chateau.   
Three people made their way in, two blondes and one dark-haired man. He recognized immediately one of the blondes. His ex, Jokaste, in her tight little Santa getup, matching with the other blonde woman’s, which he did not recognize. The guy, he didn’t recognize either.   
Laurent had tensed up greatly, pale hand gripping his like a vice, nails digging into the skin. Damen grew worried. But before he could ask what was wrong, Aleron stood up.  
“So glad you three made it in time. Now let’s begin. Thank you all for coming this Christmas Eve to share in a family meal. I will introduce our guests for this year before we say grace.”   
Smiles could be seen around the table, but two of them were putting him off greatly. Jokaste, and that strange guy she’d come with.  
“To my left here, beside Laurent, is his good friend Damianos. He played Quarterback for the Akielon Lions up until the end of last season. He’s been tight end up until the face off with our own Veretian Eagles. He broke record despite not having played quarterback at all this year, except this one time. He may be on the enemy side, but I am still proud to have him at our table tonight.”  
Damen broke his train of thought with Jokaste and the strange man to smile, nodding to Aleron. “Glad to be here sir. And it’s a pleasure to meet you all.” He said, sounding like his usual self.  
“And then across the way, on the other end, coming in late as always, Claira, we all know, coming in late with her two friends, Jokaste and Gage.”  
Damen too, tensed when he heard the name. Gage. He recalled the last time hearing that name. It was not good things. That was why Laurent had tensed.   
He glanced at the blonde next to him, seeing that he was ghostly white, eyes wide as he stared across the table. Gage was staring back at him with a tiny smirk. He winked, and it nearly drove Damen out of the seat to go and strangle the man. He kept himself seated, however, his free hand gripping his dress pants.  
“Now, let us say grace, then begin this lovely feast.”  
All heads bowed. But Damen couldn’t help but peak an eye open to look at the man across the way.   
He was roguishly handsome and irresistible looking. He could see why Laurent had fallen so hard. But Damen now knew the man. He was the man that hurt his beloved. Sweet Laurent. He would keep his eye on that man and try to keep Laurent far from him.  
This dinner was going to be a long one with that bastard seated just 10 feet away.

After dinner was done, and dessert finished, everyone practically rolled themselves into the enormous living room where it looked like a full-sized tree was sitting off in the corner. That had to be the largest indoor tree he’d ever seen. Unless the fake one at the mall was counted. There was a huge pile of presents there with sorts of different wrapping papers and bags.  
“Alright, it’s game time. It’s as we always do. Each person will get a totally of 3 presents by the end of the games. We have five games we will be playing. Each one will be explained before we begin them.” Hennike spoke with a cheerful smile, the tiny Christmas trees hanging from her ears jingling as she looked around the room. Thirty people, five games, 3 presents. This should be interesting.  
“Okay, first game, we have the penguin waddle. Here we had unblown balloons. We will be in teams of five. The heads of the team will be the ones to blow up the balloon. From there, they will waddle to the next person with the balloon between their legs in the next room. You must pass the balloon to the next person with using your hands. The team to pass their balloon successful to the last person of the team will get to come and choose a present from the tree. Each person is limited to three presents. So, if you get your third present, you will only be participating for fun. Alright? Let’s get started. Choose your teams.”  
Laurent paired with Damen, Auguste, and his parents. Auguste ended up at the head of their team, Aleron being second, Hennike third, Laurent fourth, then finally Damen at the end. They all waited in different rooms. Luckily, Gage wasn’t anywhere near him or Laurent, so Damen could concentrate. He didn’t like losing.  
When the game began, there was yelling from each room, cheers and laughter. It brought a smile to Damen’s face. He’d never done anything like this before. Well, he had, but that was long ago when he was still very small.  
It wasn’t long before Laurent was waddling his way over with the ‘egg’ between his legs. Damen laughed as he watched him, Laurent struggling to keep it together.  
“Oh my god, it’s like walking with my pants down. Take it! Take! It!” Laurent yelled with a laugh, trying to pass the balloon. It dropped, so Damen had to figure out to pick it up without his hands.  
“Show us your soccer moves Damen!” He heard Auguste yell down the way.  
He took the hint, putting his feet around the balloon, lifting it onto his feet. He jumped, widening his legs just enough to catch it, thighs squeezing gently.   
“YES, WE WON!” Cheers and laughs again all through the house.  
“Alright, let’s go pick our gifts.” Laurent said, dragging Damen with him, abandoning the balloon.  
Laurent ended up with a vibrating plush cat headrest. Damen got some very expensive cologne. Auguste got a zombie-themed back scratcher, Aleron with a silly top hat with a ridiculous number of feathers. He wore it of course. And Hennike got expensive chocolates, that she fed one to each of her team. Damen had been greatly embarrassed to receive, but he took it with a shy smile after it was in his mouth.

The night passed easily with each game passing, everyone getting their presents. And Damen could not complain about the haul. The rich people knew how to get some damn good gifts. Not only did he now have some good cologne that Laurent couldn't get enough of, but he also had had golden harmonica (which he knew how to play and played some tunes for everyone), and $200 gift card for Starbucks. He nearly dropped the card when he read how much it had on it, to which Laurent laughed. He could not believe he was holding 200 dollars’ worth of coffee in his hand. It was definitely going to be put to use when they got back to school.  
Things winded down, and everyone was lounging around, talking and messing with their new gifts. Damen had ended up in a long conversation with Auguste, Aleron, and bunch of the other men attending about last season’s games. It was heated, so Damen hadn’t even realized that Laurent disappeared from his side. When he did notice, he figured he probably went to talk to someone, or to the bathroom. He thought nothing of it.  
When the conversation turned elsewhere, Damen realized Laurent still wasn’t back. He didn’t see him in the living room, or kitchen, or even on the cold balcony where some people sat and smoked. He went upstairs to check his room, but before he could make it all the way to the top, he heard something.   
Talking. It was muffled, but it sounded familiar. He took slow steps up the stairs, trying to listen and not disturb. He wanted to know who was talking. It wasn’t long before he recognized it as Laurent. But the other voice he didn’t recognize. A cousin maybe?  
It went silent after a few moments, and Damen wondered what was going on. He made a slow move to go up, but then a group was coming up the stairs. He used their noises to get up closer to the room, acting like he was just going to the restroom. When they passed, he snuck back over near the door. It wasn’t Laurent’s own bedroom, but rather, a spare. It was still rather silent, but he heard movement. Then…  
A moan. A struggled moan.  
His eyes went wide, and nothing stopped him from suddenly busting through the door.   
Inside was a familiar man, dark hair, cool eyes, sharp features. Gage. And the other person, barely visible from in front of the tall man, had pale skin.   
Damen was seeing red when he recognized the braids. Laurent.  
“What the fuck is going on in here.”  
Laurent turned his head, his eyes red with wet streaks down his pinked cheeks. There was a cloth in his mouth and tied around his head to keep him from making much of a sound. The man turned around, his lower half pressed firmly into Laurent’s rear.  
“Oh, it’s just you. Did you want in next? He’s rather good at this.” He says with a smug smirk. Damen shut the door before walking straight for the man, ripping him away from his very naked, scared and sobbing boyfriend.  
“What the fuck. What the hell are you doing? You act like you own this little whore.”  
Damen looked like he was ready to kill.  
“Oh...maybe because you do. My apologies. Perhaps we can share. I’m sure you know how good he is.”  
Damen launched for him, tackling him to the ground and began punching wildly.   
The commotion hadn’t been heard at all due to the music and loud conversations downstairs. They were on their own. The guy was trying to defend his face and doing a terrible job of it. Or maybe it had been on purpose.  
The next thing he knew, there was a scream, and other people came in and pulled Damen off the guy, who was bloodied and purpled badly.  
“What the hell is happening in here.” Aleron came stomping in, looking very displeased about hearing of a commotion. The man saw Gage first, saw how battered his face.  
“What happened.” He asked Gage first.  
“He fucking attacked me. He’s a god damn animal, why the hell is he even here? To start fights?”  
Damen realized what was happening and turned to look to Laurent, who had gotten up and quickly dressed before anyone else had come in. He was looking on with wide eyes.  
“Laurent, tell them.”  
Aleron looked from Damen to Laurent. The young blonde only looked on, eyes still filled with shock.  
“He’s in shock, my poor baby. Who would have expected this?” Hennike had come in, pulling Laurent close to here. And still, the blonde could say nothing. Words were not coming to him, no matter how hard he tried.  
“I brought you into my home, and as soon as there are guests, you think you can get away with battering up one of them? In front of my son? Get him out of here. I never want to see him again.”  
The security guards Aleron had around the house, took up Damen, dragging him out.  
“Laurent! Say something!” He shouted, to which the guards yanked him harder down the stairs. Once outside, he was tossed down the stairs.   
“Scram.”  
Damen lay there on the gravel, a hand on his now pained ribs.  
What the hell just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I managed some drama!  
> What's going to happen to Damen!? Laurent! Oh no! Noooo What will HAPPEN. Not even I know, because I just start typing and let it flow. AAAHHHHH  
> Stay tuned! Next chapter will be here before ya know it!


	13. Never Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Living through it all together is just step one in the cycle of love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it feels like it's been a while since I've put up a chapter. Or maybe I'm just all twisted around.   
> So, this chapter...is dark. Like, yikes. So, just letting you guys know ahead of time.  
> But do not worry, there is always a rainbow after the storm~

Damen had hitchhiked his way to the city of Vere where he found a phone to use. Dialing, he waited for a familiar voice to answer. It only took about 3 rings.  
“Damen?” Answered Nikandros, sounding a bit confused. He did not normally get calls from Damen on the holidays unless he was drinking. But it was much too early for that.  
“Nik...Sorry if I interrupted anything...I didn’t know who else to call…”  
Some shuffling could be heard, and the background noise was now non-existent on Nikandros’ end.  
“What happened? Did you get arrested? What about Laurent?” He asked, sounding even more confused and concerned.  
“No it’s...I...I don’t know...I just need a ride back to Akielos...and somewhere to stay for a while.”  
More shuffling.  
“I’ll be right there. Tell me where you are.”

Damen was sure the other had broken some speed limits and probably flew through some red lights to have gotten there in only 20 minutes. Damen got in, looking very roughed up still from the scuffle. Nikandros did not look happy.  
“What happened” He asked, getting back on the road and was headed back for Akielos.  
“It’s...I don’t…”  
“Damianos. Tell me. I can’t help if I don’t know what’s going on.”  
Damen sighed, sitting back, his head resting on the leather.  
“I had gone to Laurent’s parent's place for the break. We’ve been there all week. Everything was fine. And most of tonight was too but…”  
“But?” Nik was getting a bit impatient, wanting to know what these Vere assholes had done to his best friend. Practically his family.  
“Jokaste was there, and she came with some other guy. Apparently, one of Laurent’s cousins knew them and invited. Well, I found out the guy had been Laurent’s ex.”  
Nik was back to being confused again, wondering how this ended with them where they were now.  
“What happened…” He asks gently, seeing how much it pain Damen to talk about it.  
“Well, I got into this conversation with Laurent’s family, and at some point, Laurent had left. When I got out, I went looking for him. I was going upstairs and I heard something. Then I heard Laurent. He sounded...like he was hurting, but he wasn’t speaking. So I burst into the room. I saw his ex over him...fucking him. He had Laurent pinned and gagged him. He was such a prick, and I lost it. I beat him...hard.” His breath was ragged now, sounding like he was greatly pained but getting riled up again.  
“Laurent’s dad came up. When he asked what happened, the guy said I just came and started beating on him. Laurent...I don’t know how he got dressed so fast. But he did...he...he wasn’t speaking...he didn’t say anything to deny it. They kicked me out. My phone is still over there, that's why I couldn't call sooner.”  
Nikandros was now just as pissed as Damen was. How could Laurent have let that happen? Damen gave that blonde everything. His time, his affection, his love. The way he talked about him, Nik and the others knew how hard Damen had fallen for him. The obscene amount of pictures all up on their social media were only a small part of it to show.  
“I can’t believe he let that happen to you. He couldn’t even muster a word for you...You’ve given him everything. And anything he could have wanted, whether you could have afforded it or not, I know you would have given it to him. He’s not stupid, he would have known that too. And still, he lets you take the fall instead of the asshole. I just…” Nikandros groaned like a pissed off bull.  
“You’re welcome to stay the rest of break at my parent's. You know they don’t mind. Jord and I are going to get an apartment for this semester, so you’re welcome to stay till you can figure something out.”  
Damen nodded, looking very out of it.  
“Thanks Nik...you’re always here when I need you.”  
“Which is almost never. We all fall on you more than on us. Plus we’ve been buds forever. Who would I be.”

Meanwhile, Laurent was flipping out. He had locked himself in his room, calling Damen’s phone desperately. He couldn’t get a hold of him.  
Where had he gone? Was he alright? Would he forgive him? Would he understand…  
Laurent had to shake that last thought from his head every time it came back to him. Of course, he would. Damen was very understanding and loving. He had to know that Laurent was not okay after all of that. And he still wasn’t but he was trying to stay strong and worry more for Damen.  
“Goddamnit, answer me…” He sobbed halfway through to himself. He sunk down onto his bed, head dropped, feeling defeated. He cried harder, so hard that he could not hear what was going on around him. Not the sound of whoever was outside trying to coax him out leaving. Nor the sound of something slipping into the door jam and unlocking it. Not even the sound of the door gently closing and locking.  
It wasn’t until there was a hand around his neck and another over his mouth that he was alerted to something being very wrong. His body was pulled to another, held so tightly by the throat that he could hardly breathe.  
“Well that was fun, wasn’t it? At least that brute you called a ‘boyfriend’ is gone. Now we can finish what we started. Maybe we can get back together. I can convince your dad to let you come back to VU. Wouldn’t that be nice? We can see each other every day again.” All was whispered into his ear, the slightest of a lisp just behind bruised lips.  
Laurent struggled hard, but the hand on his throat squeezed hard enough to cease his breathing for a few seconds. He went limp, unable to breathe, but he was still awake.  
“Now now, calm yourself. You might get hurt. You don’t want that, now do you? Your skin bruises so easy. I remember it. “  
Laurent by this time was sobbing behind the hand, his breaths shallow and struggled as he was restrained from breathing too much. Everything around him was blurry.  
“Don’t pass out on me. It’s no fun when you’re unconscious.” The hand released just enough for him to gasp and choke a bit for air. The man behind him nuzzled his ear and cheek almost lovingly.  
“I was so sad when you moved away. But now we can be together again.”  
No.  
Laurent had enough. He was tired of being scared. Of being pushed around and being weak. This was over.  
He gathered every bit of strength and energy he had in his hardly oxygenated body and slammed his fist back into the man’s already tender face. He was released, and he took this opportunity to put distance between them.   
He went for the door, but was unable to unlock it with his barely functioning fingers in time before hands grabbed him and threw him to the ground. The blonde landed hard on his elbow, but the pain didn’t stop him from scratching at the floor to get up and get away. Gage had grabbed his legs, pulling him back to him. Laurent gave it all he had, breathing hard as his vision blurred. A kick in the Gage’s chest was enough to give him time.  
Not even a second thought went into his escape, his body slamming hard into the glass window, shattering it. He landed on the small bit of roofing just outside of it but gave himself no time to recover before dragging himself back up and crawling out despite the glass in his skin. He did briefly wonder if anyone had heard the breaking of glass before he jumped off the roof.   
Unfortunately, which seemed to be his theme today, he landed wrong, and hard. A scream slipped his lips. No one could not have heard that.  
Laurent lay there in the grasses below, his body shaking from the pain. He glanced up at the window with a slightly bloodied eye, seeing the dark hair.  
“Your move…” He whispered before passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whos crying its me im cry.  
> They are in love  
> Also, my 2008 days came back to me, if that wasn't obvious. Eherm...  
> I do not own the beautiful song that is:  
> Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus


	14. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to revisit the past and patch the wounds reopened, properly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I am so sorry for how long this took to get out.   
> My muse had been taken fully by Children of the Sun and Moon. I had gotten so excited over the plot I was implementing, I just couldn't focus at all on this fic.  
> But here we are now, back with our gay sons.   
> I have a direction I want to take this now, so updates should start becoming more frequent again.

That night, Damen had carried Laurent up the stairs, considering that the damn elevator was broken. This had pissed Damen off greatly because it was a straight up bullshit. He didn’t mind carrying Laurent, but it just wasn’t fair. God forbid if anyone with a wheelchair ever needed to come upstairs. He definitely going to have a talk with someone tomorrow about it.

But for now, the large brunette kicked the door open after his blonde lover unlocked it for them. Shutting the door with a foot, he went to their joined beds and set the other down.

“Do you need anything?” He asked, giving the other such a tender look, seeming as if he’d jump off a bridge if the other so needed it.

“You.” Laurent replied, his voice quiet.

Damen easily slid into the bed right next to his lover and snuggled gently into him. He was careful of any pains the other might’ve had, his hands as gentle as feathers on his back.

“I love you…” slipped his lips, surely only the first of many more for the night. Laurent only hummed in acknowledgment, but Damen knew what it meant. It was equally as loving and caring as his own voice uttering the words.

They lay there for a while, just taking in each others warmth and presence, Laurent practically drinking up the scent of Damen. His senses were full of a sporty cologne, olive skin, an overly warm body at his front. His body was at ease, knowing all was safe and well.

“Where...did you stay all of the break?” The blonde eventually asked, wondering what Damen had been doing with himself these past 2 weeks.

“I was binge watching Game of Thrones and eating all of Nik’s families food. And then doing the same thing at his apartment. Good times.”

Laurent buried his face once more into the male's chest, a muffled ‘sorry’ leaving his lips.

“Don’t be. You were in the hospital right?”

A nod.

“I could barely stay awake through a lot of the time I was there. The pain meds they had me on were _strong_. My mom told them to do so. She didn’t want me to feel anything. 

Guess she doesn’t know that anything stronger than the norm, and I’m just left laying there like a vegetable for a full week. They only took me off of it because I stopped responding to things.”

He sighs, shaking his head.

“My family is a little ditzy sometimes, I swear…”

Damen chuckled a bit, one of his hands coming up from the smaller’s back to rest in his hair.  
“Well, at least you got to rest. Honestly, i don’t think anyone would be able to sleep after all of that happening…”

“I haven’t been.” came Laurent’s unexpected reply, leaving Damen in a shock.

“You haven’t? Why not?”

Laurent pulled his head back to look up at Damen. He indeed did have some heavy bags under his eyes. His blue gaze was glazed over, not only by pain medication but by exhaustion. 

“It’s...it’s hard to sleep when every sound around you has you on high alert. And in the same house…” Laurent tried to explain.

Damen tried to understand this, though he just couldn’t. He never went through such a trauma before. This, however, would not stop him from trying to understand. He wanted to help his love, however he could.

“...have..you thought about going to therapy...or a psychiatrist?” Damen treaded lightly, not sure how Laurent would react to the suggestion. He’d heard about some people getting rather offensive about such an offer.

Laurent did nothing of the sort. Instead, he just looked back down, eyes staring blankly at Damen’s chest.

“...I have...I just don’t know. You know pretty well that I don’t open up well.” 

“You opened up to me…”

Blue eyes were back on him again, wide and contemplating.

“I did…”

Damen could still see the great hesitation in the others thoughts. The furrowing of his brows as he thought his way towards a solution.

“What if...I went with you? I can be there, you can talk, let it all out, and they can help you. That way you won’t feel so…”

“Vulnerable…”

A nod.

Laurent had a blank look on his face once more, as if deep in thought, coming to a decision quicker than light. Or at least faster than Damen could come to a conclusion.

“That sounds like a decent idea...you being there.”

Damen nodded and smiled.

“Do you have any place in mind?”

“I think I do.”

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

Three days later, on the day they got off early from classes, they were in Laurent’s car, headed for Laurent’s first appointment. Damen was driving since the other was still too high on painkillers to be operating any sort of machinery. They’d stopped at a Mcdonald’s to get something to eat since Laurent was pushing on how hungry he was. 

When they arrived, they sat outside for a while, finishing off their food. Then it was Damen getting out, pulling out the wheelchair from the trunk and unfolding it. Getting Laurent out wasn’t the problem. It was Damen trying to support Laurent and holding onto the wheelchair at the same time. After a minutes struggle, Laurent was finally seated and they were heading up the ramp towards the door.

The door jingled when opened, the receptionist looked up, instantly cheerful upon seeing them.  
“Hi! Do you have an appointment?” The young man asked, his voice high pitched and sweet.

“Yes, for Richelieu.” Damen spoke, a kind smile on his face.

“For 2:30...Okay, go ahead and have a seat. He will be right with you.”

With a nod, Damen wheeled Laurent over to the rather comfortable looking chairs of the waiting room and sat down. Laurent adjusted himself so he was easily able to face his boyfriend. 

Most probably wouldn’t be able to tell so easily, but Damen knew Laurent was nervous. When questioned on if he’d ever been to a psychiatrist before, Laurent said no. He’d been to therapists before, but that was about it.

This man was a specialist in abusive trauma. Laurent had said he’d known the man since he was a child. Back then, he’d been a children’s therapist and had helped Laurent with his general troubles of being himself.

Damen was glad the other would at least know him, otherwise, he would be rather worried that this would not go as smoothly as they both hoped.

They sat there, Damen holding Laurent’s hands in his, running his thumbs over the smooth skin. The rough, dry callouses of his palm scraped along gently, creating small pinked lines on the pale skin. He could see that this was helping the other to calm at least a little bit. So he did not stop.

Minutes passed before they were finally called, to which Damen stood, turning the wheelchair around and pushing it towards the hallway. 

The woman held the door open, smiling gently at them both as they passed. The door was closed behind them. There were only three rooms in the hall. One for each of the three specialists that worked there.

The hall itself came off as warm and welcoming with its paintings of sunflowers and lilies along its walls. There were large indoor plants in their pots just outside of each door, and two on either side of the window at the end. There was the sound of little fountain set up near to the window as well, giving it a calming atmosphere. 

Damen found that despite it just being a hallway, that he liked it. He could get used to coming here. He would have regardless, but this made it more pleasant. Laurent seemed to like it too as his stiff shoulders went a bit lax.

Their door was the one at the back. It was one of the smaller rooms on the right side, neighboring another. 

Damen reached over Laurent to press on the door handle to open it. The blonde helped by using his not injured foot to hold it open as he was wheeled in. Gently, the door shut on its own.

The man was sitting there at his desk, looking over a small stack of papers. He looked up upon hearing them come in, his eyes only briefly covered by clear lenses. The glasses were dropped onto a pile of papers and the man stood. 

“Hello Laurent...and this is…?” The man asked, giving Damen a questioning look.

Laurent spoke before Damen could even open his mouth. “Damen. My boyfriend. I hope it’s not too much trouble that he’s here.”

“It’s nice to meet you Damen. I am Paschal. And I’m actually really glad you’re here. I have a personal belief that if a loved one is present, the patient is more easily open. Not always the case, but it’s always worth a try.”

Damen smiled and nodded, grateful that he was able to be here for Laurent.

“Go ahead and have a seat on the couch. Laurent, if you’d like to move to the couch, feel free. We’ve got plenty of time. You’re my last appointment of the day.”

Damen wheeled Laurent over, asking whether or not he wanted to move. With a quick nod, the larger male was helping him from the wheelchair onto the couch. They sat down together, seated close and comfortably. If Laurent moved any closer, he’d be sitting on Damen’s lap.

When they were all settled, Paschal came and sat down on the chair across from them, a notepad and pen in hand. But he set the two items aside on the small table next to him and smiled.

“Alright. Are we all comfortable?” He asks, being very patient with them.

“Yes.” Laurent replied.

“Okay. Let’s start from the beginning.”

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

The hour passed with Laurent starting from the very beginning of his relationship with Gage. Paschal had him further explain details, even if they were painful ones. In those moments, Laurent would squeeze his hand, occasionally looking to for reassurance. Damen would smile at him, squeezing his hand back to encourage him.

They ended ten minutes after their clock was up, and Paschal had given his brief evaluation of what they may begin doing every session, starting the next appointment. Laurent only nodded, accepting whatever needed to be done.

Then they left. Damen got Laurent back in the car, and they headed home.

Laurent was visibly relaxed now, slouching a bit in the seat, face lax and almost smiling. He’d done it. He was finally getting the help he needed.

The psychiatrist had been in Vere, so they had quite a long ride back, but still, Laurent asked if they could get off the freeway and take the country roads. Damen would have never said no, so he took the next exit and drove off into the winding back roads just outside of Vere. 

 

Had he made a turn right off of the freeway, they would have driven past Laurent’s parent's estate. But Damen didn’t want that and drove straight, opting to turn at the next road. 

They stayed quiet, not even the radio on. The only sound was the quiet murmurs of the engine and the passing of trees. Laurent’s head was turned towards the scenery just outside the tinted window. It was nice out today.

“Kinda wish I’d gotten a convertible..” Laurent said quietly.

This had Damen smiling, knowing why he’d suddenly want such a thing.

“So you can have that teenage dream of cruising the back roads, hair in the wind, and glasses almost larger than your face?” Damen asked, slightly joking.

The blondes cheek moved the slightest, the only hint that he was smiling from where Damen was sitting.

“Exactly... I could really use that about now. I’ve been locked up inside for so long…”

Damen realized now that Laurent would no longer be able to physically perform for his theatre class anymore. He wouldn’t be able to dance, or even simply walk the stage. He wondered then, just what he would be doing for this semester. He knew he still had a class for it, as he was the one that wheeled him halfway across campus every other day to it. But as for the contents of what he did, he did not know. 

Perhaps, they had figured something out for him. He knew those teachers loved him, and wouldn’t have wanted him to not perform in some way. And with how crafty Laurent was, he’d figure something out.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

After over an hour of driving, they finally got back to their dormitory. Laurent didn’t seem too happy about going inside just yet, so instead of going directly in, he began pushing the other around campus.

“I realize i never got to ask you what you’ve been up to in theatre. It’s surely gotta be a pain.” Damen started.

Laurent turned his head a bit as if to glance at him.

“It is, but we’re figuring it out. I’ll still be performing in 3 months. I’ll be able to stand by then and walk, with a brace of course. I’ll still have to take it easy, so whatever moves we decide on, they’ll be simple. But right now, we’re just working on a script. They want something that can be worked around me.”

Laurent sighed. “I feel like a hindrance.”

“You’re not.” Damen said.

“How not? They have to write the play directly around me, and me only.

“Because this is a challenge. How could a theatre class not want a challenge? Something that may have never been done before. I don’t know a whole lot about all this stuff, but i don’t see why they wouldn’t want something like this in their play.”

“People will marvel at the fact that you even decided to push yourself and perform, despite being rather handicapped. And the fact you could probably re-injure yourself in the process, depending on your role. You push on, even though you should be resting. People like that sort of thing.”

“They like strong people.” Damen conclude with great confidence. “You are very strong Laurent. That is why they are willing to do this. Because you are willing to perform.”

Laurent remained quiet, as if thinking about what he was being told. Perhaps contemplating that it was indeed, a true sort of statement. They wanted him there. They wanted to see just what he capable of doing, and willing to do. 

A daring actor was something rare and sought after greatly in the world of film and theatre.

How could he selfish and hold himself back. Thinking he was some hindrance. He wasn’t. He was willing to go that distance, because this was what he loved.

“I suppose...you’re right.” Laurent finally said.

“You are worth every bit of the struggle Laurent. Don’t you forget it. Don’t forget who you are.”

Damen could feel it in his bones that his boyfriend was smiling at this.

“I’m ready to go in now. I’m so tired.”

“What, no McDonalds first?”

“Only if you’re willing to push me the half mile over there.”

They both chuckle.

“Ubereats it is then.”


	15. Pearl of the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A special surprise awaits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason, I hadn't remembered posting Chapter 14 lmao. So that happened. And I'm sure I was just losing my mind that day.  
> So anyway, a month late Valentines chapter. Because I had to. They are in love.
> 
> Give me some love! Comment! <3  
> Also, not be that person, but I totally am being that person. I'm taking commissions on my art blog!  
> Here's the post: http://sitical.tumblr.com/post/171891433236/commissions-are-open  
> HAPPY READING!

Weeks passed by as usual. Damen would get up, get himself dressed and ready for school, then would help Laurent, should he need any, or even want any. Which, surprisingly, Laurent asked more often than not. But only with moving to his chair and getting his sweats just up to his knees. 

The sad part was that Laurent hid away any private bits of him. Like he was ashamed or scared of letting Damen see them again. He’d apologized for it, being unable to really explain why.

Damen only supported him and said that he could take his time. There was no rush. He wanted his boyfriend to come to terms in his own time.

Even so, Laurent felt embarrassed about it. But there was just no helping it.

 

A month and a half eventually came around, and it was time to get the cast cut off.

Laurent was both excited and nervous. There was still a chance of him having to get recast again for another month or so, depending on how good or bad the healing had gone.

So there they sat at the doctor's office in the waiting room. 

It was incredibly awkward, as Laurent’s parents had insisted on coming as well. And Damen was there.

Laurent had told Damen about how he talked to his parents about what happened. How Damen had saved him, and about how he’d been unable to talk to avoid him getting him in trouble. Aleron had tried to play it off as Laurent just trying to save the blame from Damen because he was all drugged up on pain medication.

Laurent had to stay consistent on the topic for days at a time, never letting up. Aleron had eventually come to accept that it indeed was the truth and that an apology was due to Damen. 

When the older pair entered, going first to Laurent, hugging him before sitting down at his side and at his front. Damen was almost completely ignored.

Laurent eventually gave his father a look. It was time.

The man seemed to tense for a second upon realizing it before looking at Damen.

“Damen...I’ve come to understand that you were never at fault...in those events. You were simply trying to protect my son. I want to apologize for not hearing you out...and for kicking you out. And anything that may have come after that. I’m terribly sorry.”

The man took a breath and looked him directly in the eye.

“I also want to thank you...for being there for him. I...I cannot say I’ve been the best father to him. Laurent...has unfortunately always been rather misunderstood in our family. It’s something that I’ve never had an excuse for and am coming to terms with putting it to an end. Thank you for being there when he’s needed someone. I have never seen him smile more than when he is with you. I didn’t think….it would be possible to see anymore. Not since he was a child.”

“I want you to know you are always welcome in our home. You have shown yourself to be a very honorable and honest man. A man I would like to keep around.”

Damen gave him a hard look, just like Laurent had told him to do, giving him consideration. Then he smiled.

“I accept. There is nothing more I want than to be there for Laurent. Anything I can.”

The heavy air had lifted. All was settled, and now they would all get to be there for Laurent, hoping for the best for his leg.

They were brought into the office after a few more minutes, Laurent being set up on the bed, his leg propped up and ready to go. The doctor joined them soon enough, getting right to work.

It took a good ten minutes before the cast was pulled away and Laurent’s leg was free.

“Oh my god, don’t look at it...it hasn’t been shaved in forever.” Laurent cringed.

Damen just laughed, Aleron smiling and shaking his head, Hennike doing the same.

The doctor did an evaluation of the tibia bone, feeling along with his gloved hand. Then he checked the ankle, which had been the worse for wear. It was still rather tender for Laurent, but the doctor said a tight wrap and another few weeks in the wheelchair or with crutches should be plenty.

He was helped to another room to get a final x-ray done, then he was set up to go home, a temporary wrap on his ankle to keep it stiff.

Laurent and Damen were walked out to their car by the blonde’s parents, wishing them well until the next time they decided to come and visit. Then they left. Laurent smiled at Damen, to which was returned. It had been a good day.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

Damen was nervous. 

It had been three days since Laurent had gotten his cast off. Perfect timing for Valentine's day.

He had it all planned out. Since Laurent was able to use crutches now, he was off doing his own thing for classes. Damen had skip class today to begins his plans. Laurent had already given full use of his car, so off he went without the other even having any clue that he was skipping out today.

First stop was by the Amazon Locker space to pick up the packages he’d ordered, then by the flower shop to pick up his next order. Three more stops and he got back to the dorms. Wasting no time, he got right to work. Laurent would be back at around 5:00, so he had to be done by then. And he had a lot to work on.

☄ ☄ ☄ ☄

Laurent was up early that morning, needing to get to his class for something he needed to do beforehand. He couldn’t do it with Damen around, as it was supposed to be a surprise. So as soon as he arrived, he got right to work on it. 

Luckily, he’d been able to finish before class began. And during his ten-minute break, he spent the extra time fixing it up a little bit. It had to be absolutely perfect.

5:00 eventually rolled around, and Laurent had finally managed to limp himself all the way back to the dorm room, his present stowed away in his backpack safely.

Upon arriving, Laurent blinked, seeing a rather familiar face standing in front of the doors. A guy from the football team. Damen’s best friend. Nikandros.

“...Is there any particular reason you’re wholesomely blocking the door with your enormous self.” Laurent asked upon coming up to the other.

Nik rolled his eyes, looking at Laurent.

“ There is actually. I’m here to take your backpack, and to give you this.” The man held out a red envelope that had his name on its front, it obviously being Damen’s handwriting as it was barely legible. Even so, Laurent had grown quite familiar in learning how to read it.

The blonde took the envelope, opening it to see its contents. Inside was a hallmark Valentines card. The cover was very formal and loving with its cursive foil letters on its front, saying ‘Happy Valentines day, my love.’

He opened the card and began to read Damen’s scrawl. He seemed to have put a lot of work into making it legible, but it was still rather messy. It read:

_Laurent, you have been the best thing that has ever happened to me._  
I cannot describe with words just how much you mean to me. So I decided to show you.  
Your first clue is 20 hops to the right, then 30 forward..  
I’ll be waiting 

There was a crude little heart drawn at the bottom that made Laurent smile. He dropped his backpack with Nikandros after taking out the gift and stuffing it into his pocket. Then off he went.

“Hops. That asshole.” Laurent chuckled to himself as he was forced to hop any time he used the crutches. Damen had joked with him about before when he’d woken him up by walking to the kitchen in short, quick hops with the crutches, making a bunch of ruckus in doing so.

Laurent crutched himself 20 hops to the right of where he was standing, then over 30. When he came to a stop, he looked around, wondering just what the clue was. Then he spotted it. A bright, sparkly backpack with a cute little rabbit patch on its front, and a large poofy rabbit keychain on its zipper. A sticky note was left on it.

Picking up the backpack, he read the note.

_You make my heart race like an excited rabbit, hopping, skipping, doing a little binky when I see you smile. Your smile shines so brightly, like the moon on rippling water.  
Come to the fountain of gold._

Laurent felt his heart flutter at the words written so messily, but so distinctly Damen’s. He knew just how to get him feeling so giddily in love.

So after pulling on his sparkly backpack, he began to crutch his way to the fountain that he knew Damen was talking about. It wasn’t so much of a fountain as it was a broken overhead sprinkler in the Ag department’s greenhouse. The water was always flowing, spraying over into a conveniently placed rusted wheelbarrow. At certain times of the day, the water was like gold in the light. 

They had discovered it in the semester before on one of their walks, ending up splashing each other with the water. They kissed, of course, all soaking wet, long blonde hair sticking to both of them. It had been cold that day, but they didn’t care. 

Laurent would never forget it. And it seemed Damen wouldn’t either.

Laurent reached the Ag department not too long after, looking around for something that stuck out. He looked inside the greenhouse, spying something floating inside of the wheelbarrow. Crutching his way over, he picked up the floating object. It was rubber duck with a sailor suit. There was no note on it, and he wondered if it’d fallen off. But before he could look around to check, he happened to look at the ducks's bottom. 

There, in permanent marker, written in tiny but readable words, read:

_”I do not need much water. I am red when I’m cold, and green when I am warm.”_

Another clue. Laurent looked around the greenhouse. It was chilly today, so whatever it was, it was likely red and would stick out. It only took a glance before something in the corner that was red. Moving over to it and reaching, he picked up a jar with a small red succulent planted in it. The jar had a nice bow on it, likely tied at a boutique. But it was cute.

 

He lifted the small card hanging on the side, reading it.

_“When you found me, I was green. I did not know where my life was going, or what I was doing with myself. But now with you warming my side each night, I am red with warmth and love. Together, we can grow this plant big and strong, just as we have with our relationship.  
Come to the field of Greeks.”_

He held the jar close to his chest as he read the card, feeling a little prickle of tears. God, this boy was so sweet. He couldn’t wait now to see him. To hold him close and tell him just how much he loved him. But Damen knew just how much Laurent loved games.

As for the field of Greeks. This one was a little harder. He had to think. What did that mean? A field. Was that literal? Yes. Field had not been capitalized. Damen had an eye for detail when he meant it. And he definitely meant it now. So it was a field. There were lots of fields on campus. The number of sports played here was bordering on ridiculous. 

Greeks...this school had been around for some time. But not that long. Was there an original mascot? Was the lion always the mascot? No. It was a Greek warrior some 30 years ago. A gladiator. Gladiators fought in arenas. 

Then it hit him.

He began hopping his way quickly towards the football field after placing the jarred plant in his backpack. It was a little ways away, so it took him some time to reach the gates. It was dark by the time he arrived.

The entrance gate was usually closed, but he saw that it was slightly ajar, a note taped to the pole. He came closer and took the note, reading over it.

_Close your eyes and take a deep breath before entering. The biggest show of my affections is just beyond.  
Just because this is the end of your journey does not mean it is the end of my love for you._

Laurent smiled, pocketing the note before doing as it said. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, taking a deep, slow breath before going in. His heart was racing, pounding in his chest.

Who was to know what lay beyond these gates.

He came through and round into opening of the large football field. He spent many nights out here with Damen after his games, long after the lights had gone out. They watched the stars. Talked about any and everything they could think of. They made love a few times on the grassy field.

Those were some of the best nights of his life.

Then again, any night spent with Damen had been the best nights of his life. And every day. Every minute. He just made him so happy. Made him feel loved and wanted. 

Right now, right here, as he stepped out into the dark field, he felt a sense of uneasiness. What did the other have planned? He couldn’t see anything.

Then he saw one flicker of light on the other side of the field in the bleachers. Then another. And another. Little by little, as he watched, he began to see a shape appear from the tiny lights. By the time it stopped, he realized what it was.

A giant candlelight heart. Then something on the inside began to light up. He walked closer, trying to see what it was. And by the time he stopped again, he saw what it said.  
_D + L_

He placed a hand over his mouth.

“Do you like it?” Came a voice off to his right. A familiar voice, full of warmth and wonder.

“.... I love it…” Laurent said, still staring in awe at the giant, very carefully planned out candlelight outline.

“You did all of this...for me?” Laurent asked as he finally looked over. Damen became visible the closer he got, the light of the candles and the rising moon casting a gentle glow over him. He wore his best jeans, a brand new pair of black Timberland boots, his letterman jacket, and a plain black t-shirt. He looked so handsome with his hair all nicely done, not a single curl out of place.

In his arms, he held two items. In his left, he held a giant bouquet of flowers, all different sorts of colors and assortments. And in his right, a giant, absolutely adorable pink rabbit, it’s nose in the shape of a heart. 

“Of course I did. You mean the world to me. How else could I possibly show you that without at least trying to...physically.” He chuckles in the slightly nervous way he did. Laurent loved that little laugh of his.

“I…” Laurent stopped and instead moved towards him.

The bouquet and rabbit were dropped onto the grass, the backpack was gently placed on the ground, and the crutches were lost. 

A tight embrace between them shared the warmth and love they felt at that moment. Laurent’s heart was hammering. He couldn’t believe Damen had gone through all of the trouble of planning this for him. He had put a lot of thought and his love into this.

“I love you so much.” Damen said, nuzzling Laurent’s hair before kissing it. Laurent just nuzzled his face more into his boyfriend's chest. He just couldn’t believe it.

“I love you too... I can’t believe you did all of this...Now...Now I feel like I should have done so much more for yours…” Laurent eventually said as he pulled back enough to look up at the other. He had a glint in his eye, the only hint of a few tears he let slip out from the excitement.

“Whatever it is, I’ll love it and cherish it forever. I don’t need anything but you right here with me, telling me you love me too.” Damen said with such a bright smile. 

Laurent bent over, letting Damen help him keep his balance on one leg as he picked up his backpack.

Reaching into it, he pulled out the box from earlier, then put the bag back down. He held the square box that was about the size of the larger man’s palm up to him. 

“I hope you like it….” Laurent said uneasily.

Damen only smiled and took it, gently pulling the top off and placing it on the underside to free his hand. Pulling aside a little cut sheet of tissue paper, he revealed two matching golden bracelets. 

They were thin but intricately made with tiny designs along their sides. On the inside of each ring, their names were carved in fancy scrawl. Damianos. Laurent.

“Oh my god…” Damen said, his eyes wide. They were in precise sizing, so Damen’s was considerably bigger than Laurent’s.

“I made them myself. Cast the gold into the shape of cuffs at a shop, then I used a hot pen to carve the designs and our names...do you like them?”

Damen’s eyes only became huge upon hearing this.

“You made these...yourself... I…” Damen looked like he was about ready to cry.

“I love them. Come on, let’s put them on.” He immediately took the bracelets out and dropped the box. 

Damen gave Laurent the larger ring, then held his wrist out for him to place on him. Once on, he did the same for Laurent.

The larger man looked over the gold bracelet on his wrist, smiling so largely.

“God I love this so much. I love you, Laurent. I’m never going to take this off. Ever.”

Laurent felt a great amount of relief and smiled as well.

“I'm so glad you like them. I wanted something that would last. That we could wear...and be reminded everyday…” Laurent bit his lip, feeling rather cheesy with the words falling from his mouth.

“I’ll always have you on my mind. No matter what.” Damen replied to him, a loving grin on his lips.

“And I you.” 

They stared into each other's eyes.

“Happy Valentine's day, lover.”


	16. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A happy ending to a beautiful beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Thank you all for reading and all the love! It's been great for the time it has lasted, and i could have only wished to make it longer. Unfortunately, i had run out of steam, and luckily, i was able to finish one last thing before putting the fic to rest.  
> Thank you again, and i hope to see you guys around on future fics!

The year had come to a close, finals finished and summer ahead. The past months had been pleasantly peaceful for Damen and Laurent. Laurent’s leg healed enough that he no longer needed crutches and was able to perform his final performance for that semester just a week before finals began. Damen had said his goodbyes and thank you’s to his coaches and other teammates on the last day of his finals.

Damen was finishing up the last of his packing, setting the last box down outside the door to be taken to the truck. The room he’d been occupying with Laurent for the past year was now completely barren, save for a few stray items Laurent had yet to pick up. Damen could only smile as he thought back on all of the memories made in this room. 

Laurent walked out from the bathroom with a large tote bag full of toiletries, handing it off to Damen to carry out. The blonde grabbed the last few things laying around, stuffing it into his spare bag, then he grabbed his last suitcase.

“Ready?” He asked, the blonde taking one last look around before nodding.

“You bet I am. We have so much unpacking to do…”

“And assembling,” Damen added, groaning a little at the thought.

“Well, at least your dad and brother were kind enough to stop by and put the bed together. No sleeping on a floor mattress.” 

Damen chuckled nodding, kissing his boyfriend's forehead as he places a hand on the small of his back, following out the door. The box he’d left out there was gone, likely from Nikandros coming back and getting it for him. Pallas and Nik had been available that day to help load and unload their things, which both Laurent and Damen were extremely grateful for. They had quite a bit packed into that little room, it was quite something.

The pair walked out the door, heading down to the car and truck parked at the curb waiting for them. Pallas and Nik were leaning on the roof of the car, likely talking about how much their back hurt from all of that lifting and dragging. Nik turned around upon hearing their footsteps, smiling just the slightest.

“You two have so much shit. Plenty to fill an apartment already.” The man had said, sounding just in the slightest, salty.

“Oh, does your back hurt? Poor baby. Well, you still gotta carry it all up the stairs too. Oh, and thank you, Pallas. I’m so grateful you could come by and help.” Laurent had on his face, a little playful smirk, obviously messing with Nikandros, as he always did.

“Welp, let’s get this show on the road. As he said, we have a lot of shit. Much to unpack.” Damen said. Nik and Pallas got into the car, Damen and Laurent opting to take the truck with all of their stuff to the apartment.

An hour later and Damen and Laurent were finally able to collapse onto their empty bed, groaning from the aches and pains of moving.

“I can’t believe we did it...we got an apartment,” Laurent said after a while, staring up that wall with wide blue eyes.

“Is it so unbelievable?”

“With my father’s money? No...but...we did this on our own. Worked my ass off...and so did you, but we did it. It’s...satisfying.” 

Damen rolled over, resting half of his body on Laurent’s, looming over him, a loving gaze upon his eyes.

“And shall be the first thing we do in our new apartment?” The glazed look Laurent was giving him was all he needed to lean down and place a loving kiss on his lips. It turned into another, and another. 

They were happy. Despite only having the barest of essentials in an empty apartment, they were contented. They’d soon enough fill their own space with things and make many memories there. What more could they have asked for than for a good start to a wonderful life together? The one bedroom, one bath wasn’t much but it was a start, and that was good enough for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3


End file.
